WIN Week In Review March 7-9, 2008

By Doug Cunningham

The economy lost 63,000 jobs in February, the second straight month that the net number of jobs has fallen. Coming on the heels of an all-time high in mortgage foreclosures, workers and their families are facing a grim economic outlook. Wages are essentially flat when adjusted for inflation and prices are continuing to rise.

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The UAW says workers striking American Axle are fighting to preserve good-paying manufacturing jobs. The union says the company continues to make unreasonable and unnecessary demands, attacking wages, pensions and health care benefits. The workers strike power is being felt as GM is forced to close several plants with more closings set for Monday. UAW workers on the picket lines are fed up with the attacks on their wages and benefits.

[American Axle Strikers]: "They were saying that he has on the table $14 an hour. We make around $23.84 plus COLA now. And now, Corporate America just wants to keep all the money for themselves. When you hear about all the bonuses and stuff that they have, why take a wage cut if they’re still reportin’ so many profits? “
“We’re movin’ more and more towards a Third World way of life, a Third World living standard. And it’s getting worse and worse. The working class right now is in trouble, we're in serious trouble."

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It was a remarkable week for Senator Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, with wins in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island. In Ohio Clinton won the union households vote, women and blue collar workers without college degrees.

[Clinton]: “"The people of Ohio have said it loudly and clearly – we’re going on, we’re going strong and we’re going all the way!"
Obama finished the week still leading in the delegate count.

[Obama]: “We want a new course for this country. We want new leadership in Washington. We want change in America!"

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NAFTA-gate has hurt the Obama candidacy and questions remain about whether Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee really told Canadian diplomats not to worry about Obama’s anti-NAFTA statements because they’re just political rhetoric. Under political pressure and the media glare Canada says the original memo written by a Candian economic affairs consular officer in Chicago “inaccurately portrayed” the Obama advisor’s remarks. But what’s more believable? An internal memo written right after the Obama advisor’s remarks when no one thought the memo would ever be public or the revision of that memo after the firestorm of public controversy hit? AFSCME President Gerald McEntee , a Clinton supporter, says the labor movement is seriously concerned about r Obama’s NAFTA-gate.

[McEntee ]: "Did the guy say, didn't he say it? Does Barack Obama say something in public and something else in private? I mean, we've got to in some way to get to the bottom of that and really understand it. Because it will continue to be significant in Pennsylvania."

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