News

UNI global union and US affiliates have warmly welcomed the election of Barack Obama - the first African-American president to be elected to the White House.

The Obama campaign strongly supported the Employee Free Choice Act, which would give US workers more effective rights to organise into unions and greater protection against the union busters.

“We welcome the powerful mood for change in the United States,” said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. “We congratulate Barack Obama and Joe Biden on a brilliant campaign that has reached out to millions of new voters and given working people and members of ethnic minorities new faith in the American dream".

“It is also a message of hope to a world that is under the shadow of the worst financial and economic crisis in nearly 70 years and is looking for closer cooperation between the USA and other countries.”

“Barack Obama brings new hope to America’s working families,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney (http://www.uniglobalunion.org/uniamericas.nsf/0/051108_EN_24).

The SEIU’s Andy Stern said: “We will work with our elected leaders to establish a clear agenda to rebuild the middle class, fix our national healthcare system (and) give workers a stronger voice”.

(http://www.uniglobalunion.org/uniamericas.nsf/0/051108_EN_B3)