Labor Union Blog

If you’re in Washington, D.C., stop by to meet Cliff Schecter, who’ll discuss his new book at the AFL-CIO from 6-8 p.m. Free beer and wine reception follows.

When John McCain showed up to campaign recently in Seattle and Bellevue, Wash., union members were there to ask him about his role in awarding a major military contract to a foreign company. Word has it, he encouraged the U.S. Department of Defense in February to give a $40 billion-to-$100 billion contract for the construction of Air Force refueling tankers to Northrop Grumman and to the European firm EADS, which makes the Airbus, rather than U.S.-based Boeing.

In Cleveland, as McCain met with wealthy corporate donors at a high-priced reception at the Intercontinental hotel, workers and their families gathered outside to ask for real solutions to the problems they face. They carried hundreds of giant, signed “band-aids” from their fellow workers, a symbol of the need for real solutions to America’s health care crisis.