Administration's First 100 Days Show Real Progress for Working Families

In its first 100 days, the Obama administration has advanced many of the issues that are important to CWA working families.

"For the first time in a long time, working Americans have a president who acknowledges the vital role that workers and their unions have in our nation," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "When President Obama says, 'I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem, to me, it's part of the solution,' we know that President Obama and Vice President Biden are determined to work with us on Employee Free Choice and other critical issues, from health care to jobs to securing our families' future," Cohen said.

On health care, President Obama took real, immediate steps to move toward health care reform, by:

• focusing on health information technology to gain additional cost savings.
• expanding funds for prevention and wellness programs and training for health care professionals.
• setting aside a $634 billion "down payment" on real health care reform.
• covering another 4 million children through the state children's health insurance program.
• expanding health care protections for jobless workers.

President Obama's choices for top positions in his administration – Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor, Linda Puchala, a former flight attendant and one-time president of AFA-CWA, to head the National Mediation Board, and new nominations to the National Labor Relations Board (see separate story) also indicate real, positive change for workers.

The White House task force on middle-class working families, lead by Vice President Joe Biden, continues to explore ways to protect income and retirement security, restore labor standards, expand education and training opportunities and help workers balance their work and family responsibilities. Biden met with members of CWA Local 7304 in St. Cloud, Minn., to help expand quality, green jobs. Information on task force's work is available at www.astrongmiddleclass.gov.

President Obama's economic recovery plan, passed by Congress, also included $7.2 billion in grants to help bring high speed broadband networks to areas and citizens who are now unserved. The plan also included funds to carry out the broadband mapping initiative passed by Congress last year.