Has your opinion of labor unions changed?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As we head into Labor Day weekend, consider this: For the first time since the question was first asked in the 1930s, fewer than half of Americans approve of labor unions. A new Gallup poll shows organized labor taking a big image hit in the last year...
Workers at SK Hand Tools in Chicago picketed outside their plant last week after their health insurance benefits were cut without notification.
- The poll finds only 48-percent of those surveyed approve of labor unions, that's down from 59-percent a year ago. While approval of unions is down among most groups, the biggest drop comes among independents.
- While 66-percent of Americans say unions are beneficial to their own members, 51-percent say that unions mostly hurt the economy. That number is up from 36-percent in 2006.
- And, 42-percent say they want unions to have less influence, compared with 25 percent who want more influence... last year, these numbers were about even.
But in the past year - a whole lot has changed. These new poll numbers come during an economic recession with record unemployment, and in the aftermath of major taxpayer-funded bailouts of two of the Big Three auto companies.
When Congress was considering these bailouts last winter - polls showed many Americans blamed the unions for the auto industry's problems.
Here’s my question to you: In light of the Labor Day holiday, has your opinion of labor unions changed in the past few years?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How united are Obama and Clinton?
Click the Play Button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Today's rally with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in Unity, New Hampshire, was the latest in a series of staged events designed to show that all is forgiven between two former rivals for the Democratic nomination. Like a children's fairy tale... if it doesn't have a happy ending, it won't sell.
Yesterday, Clinton praised Obama in front of two major interest groups that had supported her in the primaries. And the two Democrats appeared before a group of Clinton's top donors last night. Clinton told supporters that Democrats "are a family" and Obama hailed Clinton and her backers, for their passion. Both Obama and his wife Michelle gave the maximum $2,300 to help Clinton retire her debt.
But how close-knit is this family really? The fact is each is forced to rely on the other as the general election ramps up. Obama needs Clinton to help convince her supporters to vote for him in November. And Clinton needs help in paying down her campaign debt, plus she wants to know that she'll be treated as a top surrogate throughout the campaign and at the convention.
Fine, but there are sticking points. Aides describe the relationship as one that's "slowly thawing" with a lot of unanswered questions. As we told you in the Cafferty File yesterday – they're reportedly using a high-powered Washington attorney to negotiate some of these issues.
And then there's Bill. The former president and Obama have not spoken since Obama wrapped up the nomination. Wouldn't you think the last sitting Democratic president might want to talk to the party's presumptive nominee? There may be less here than meets the eye.
Here’s my question to you: How united do you think Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton really are?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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