Legal Commentary

Obama Helps Organized Labor

By TChris

Update: This blog post explains the executive orders a bit more clearly, as do its linked sources.

original post:

President Obama signed three executive orders today designed to reverse the Executive Branch's hostility toward organized labor. The text of the orders hasn't been posted on the White House website as of this writing, but should soon be available here for viewing.

In the president's words:

One of these orders is going to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to reimburse federal contractors who spend money trying to influence the formation of unions. We will also require that federal contractors inform their employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. Federal labor laws encourage collective bargaining, and employees should know their rights to avoid disruption of federal contracts.

[more ...]

And I'm issuing an order so that qualified employees will be able to keep their jobs even when a contract changes hands. We shouldn't deprive the government of these workers who have so much experience in making government work.

After so many years of listening to the Republican power structure condemn organized labor as if it were synonymous with organized crime, it's good to hear these words from a president:

I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem, to me it's part of the solution.

Another move that may prove useful in the long term (depending upon your belief in the efficacy of task forces) is the formation of a Joe Biden led task force devoted to improving the lives of middle class working families, with an emphasis on education and job training, job and income protection, retirement security protection, and improving labor standards and workplace safety.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 30, 2009 (boomark / email).