At Iowa Forum, Candidates Pressed On Supporting Middle Class America

CWA President Larry Cohen was one of three panelists asking tough questions of six leading Democratic presidential contenders at the Iowa AFL-CIO Candidates Forum in conjunction with the AFL-CIO state federation convention in Waterloo.

About 300 union leaders from across Iowa, including a contingent of CWA activists and retired members, attended the forum. Iowa is a key state in the political process, with caucuses set for next January.   

Cohen focused on workers' rights and asked each candidate: "How would you talk about the Employee Free Choice Act if this was a meeting at the Waterloo Elks Club?"

In his remarks later to convention delegates, Cohen said union activists and members should keep score of when and where the candidates speak. "Do they talk about the Employee Free Choice Act and workers' rights as the way to bring back the middle class in America, and not just at union halls? That should be a key indicator," he said.

"Watch what the candidates say when they're not at the union hall," he added.

Democratic candidates attending the forum were Senators Joseph Biden, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chris Dodd, Barack Obama, former Senator John Edwards and Governor Bill Richardson. They also were questioned about health care and trade and jobs, by Jan Laue, executive vice president of the Iowa AFL-CIO, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka and Iowa AFL-CIO President Mark Smith.

 CWA is asking all presidential candidates — Democratic and Republican — questions that CWA members and families have said are most important, about jobs, workers' rights and health care. All responses will be posted on a special CWA election website.