Nathan Newman already diaried today's White House event where President Obama signed three critical Executive Orders reversing anti-worker Bush policies, but it's a story that can't get enough press. And while the substance of the Executive Orders signed this morning is important -- among other things, they prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for anti-union actiivities -- the most remarkable aspect of today's signing was what the President of the United States had to say about the connection between unionization and the health of the middle class:
I also believe that we have to reverse many of the policies towards organized labor that we've seen these last eight years, policies with which I've sharply disagreed. I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem, to me it's part of the solution. We need to level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests, because we know that you cannot have a strong middle class without a strong labor movement. We know that strong, vibrant, growing unions can exist side by side with strong, vibrant and growing businesses. This isn't a either/or proposition between the interests of workers and the interests of shareholders. That's the old argument. The new argument is that the American economy is not and has never been a zero-sum game. When workers are prospering, they buy products that make businesses prosper. We can be competitive and lean and mean and still create a situation where workers are thriving in this country.
So I'm going to be signing three executive orders designed to ensure that federal contracts serve taxpayers efficiently and effectively. 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.
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.
"You cannot have a strong middle class without a strong labor movement." The President of the United States just said that. It's a sea change from just 10 days ago. And in the halls of the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers and the corporate offices of Walmart, lobbyists and lackeys are shivering -- because those are the words of a President who will stand with working Americans. Those are the words of a President who sounds committed to ensuring the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. And the Executive Orders, Lilly Ledbetter, Employee Free Choice -- these are the deeds that could launch a quiet revolution in the way we value work in America.
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