By Paul Tuthill
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Chicopee, MA – Labor union leaders in Massachusetts are praising President Obama for making job creation a top priority. They're urging union members to lobby Congress to pass the President's 447 billion dollar jobs plan. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
Robert Haynes, the president of the 400 thousand member Massachusetts AFL-CIO says the country is mired in a workers recession that endangers the future of the middle class.
Haynes said he was hopeful, but uncertain about prospects for the jobs plan in the Congress, where the Republican dominated House has shown little willingness to compromise with the Democratic President.
The nations' jobs crisis was a central issue at the Pioneer Valley Labor Council's annual Labor Breakfast, Friday, in Chicopee. It was attended by hundreds of union members and elected officials.
Frank Callahan , the president of the Massachusetts Buildings Trades Council, said unemployment is as high as 28 percent in some of the construction trades in Massachusetts..and worse in other parts of the country.
Callahan said he was inspired by the President's Thursday night address to a joint session of Congress. Mr Obama's plan includes new federal spending on construction for transportation infrastructure and schools. But, the plan is also heavy with tax cuts.something traditionally supported by Republicans.
Jean DeCenzo of Worcester , a member of the Amercian Federation of State, County and Muncipal Employees, agreed the best thing the government can do to create jobs is to spend money..
Rick Brown, president of the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, liked the tone of the President's speech.
Speakers at Friday's labor breakfast denounced the Tea Party movement and efforts to demonize public sector employees and take away collective bargaining rights. Former Massachusetts Labor Secretary , now State Auditor, Suzanne Bump said good efficient government does not have to come at the sacrifice of principles such as collective bargaining.
Bump said the privatization of some state services was not producing promised savings, and she said she is seeking greater legal authority to examine how private entities spend taxpayer dollars.