That same survey also found that almost eight in 10 Americans support stronger laws to give employers more incentive to obey labor laws. Seven in 10 workers favor passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would impose stiffer penalties on anti-union employers, reduce federal red tape, and give workers a greater choice about unionization in their workplace.
The labor movement played a huge role in sending Barack Obama to the White House, both in terms of its dollars and staffing power in key battleground states like Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.
Labor backed Obama because of his support for key issues on their agenda: an economic stimulus package that prioritizes the needs of working families and homeowners, new union protections embodied in the Employee Free Choice Act, anti-discrimination measures such as the Fair Pay Act (for women workers) and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (for LGBT workers), rethinking international trade agreements to include strong worker and environmental protections, a universal health care system, and retirement security.