Labor Unions Firing Up Their Ranks

The New York Times reports that the United Auto Workers (UAW) and others in the labor movement are putting their vast political organizations into motion as the 2012 U.S. Presidential election nears. The efforts could well be a test of their power in a difficult economy and following years of declining union membership.

The Times notes, in the same article, that in an attempt to increase their influence in the November elections, union officials are getting an early start with voter registration drives in plants where they represent workers. No where is this more evident than in the troubled U.S. auto industry.

While the federal loan package to General Motors and Chrysler, which cost about $80 billion, is hailed by the UAW and other unions as a success, The Times says others have seen it as an example of government meddling at its worst. Critics point to the fact that in restructuring the industry, following the federal bailout of 2009 the UAW was given an ownership stake in Chrysler and became one of GM’s largest shareholders.

One thing both parties agree on is that this year’s elections are likely to turn on each of their ability to win over working-class voters in some of the key battlegrounds. States like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin are likely to have a major say in the outcome.

We tend to agree with the Times’ conclusion that the fight over the role of organized labor in American business is likely to be one of the more divisive of the upcoming election.