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Hoffa Hails New White House Take Force on Workers, Focus on Middle Class

January 30, 2009
Obama Knows Middle Class Is Key To Restoring American Economy
Press Contact
Leigh Strope
LStrope@teamster.org
202-624-6911

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa praised President Obama and Vice President Biden today for their concern and attention to the struggles of America’s middle class, including the establishment of a new White House Task Force on Working Families and the repeal of Bush-era policies that hurt workers.

“It’s a new day for workers,” said Hoffa, who attended the White House ceremony with Obama, Biden and other union leaders. “We finally have a White House that is dedicated to working with us to rebuild our middle class. Hope for the American Dream is being restored.”

The new Task Force on Working Families, www.astrongermiddleclass.gov, will focus on stabilizing the economy and making it work for America’s workers again. Biden will lead the task force, which also will include the secretaries of labor, education, commerce and health, and Obama’s economic team.

 
Obama also signed three executive orders that restore the balance in power that favored employers over workers under the Bush administration. Obama’s orders:
  • Require federal contractors to offer jobs to current workers when contracts change;
  • Reverse a Bush order requiring federal contractors to post notice that workers can limit financial support of unions serving as their exclusive bargaining representative;
  • Prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for expenses intended to influence workers in their decision whether to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.
The executive orders follow Thursday’s move by Obama to sign his first major piece of legislation, which provides workers more time to sue employers for pay discrimination.

“America’s middle class is the terrible victim in this worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,” Hoffa said. “We are seeing our nest eggs evaporate, our neighbors lose their homes, our paychecks and health care slashed and our dreams for a better future for our children fade. The president knows we can and must do better, and I’m proud his administration is taking bold steps to restore hope and sanity in this severe time of distress, angst and uncertainty for workers.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.