On Monday, the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO kicked off its 100th anniversary at its 2008 Legislative Conference. In an opening speech, President Mark Ayers denounced Republican presidential candidate John McCain and said Democratic Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton understand working Americans.

[Myers]: "They know that America needs a viable and prosperous middle class. They know the crucial roles our unions play in building and sustaining good jobs. They understand that liberty and justice for all must include the liberty to join unions and to collectively bargain economic justice."

Also speaking at the opening event was Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey who said that as the job landscape changes, Congress needs to make sure union jobs are protected.

[Casey]: "When we chart a new course on climate change, on protecting our environment, on creating green jobs, we're going to make sure that as those debates are occurring that we protect union jobs, that we protect the workers who are in building trades on those projects."