America's union-bashing backlash (Paul Harris)

Created by : Francis Goodwin View profile

Unlike bankers, US labour unions had nothing to do with the economic crisis – yet they're the ones now being scapegoated

  • Paul Harris byline photo
    • Paul Harris
    • guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 January 2011 23.30 GMT
    • larger | smaller
Andrew Cuomo New York State governor, 2011
New York's incoming governor, Andrew Cuomo, giving his State of the Union speech in Albany, New York, 5 January 2011. He has proposed a salary freeze for state workers to help close New York's budget deficit. Photograph: Reuters/Mike Segar

These are still tough times in America. Joblessness is rife, growth rates are slow and all sorts of fiscal crises loom in government. The impact of the Great Recession rumbles on and blights the lives of tens of millions of ordinary Americans.

No one should be surprised, then, that America's political system is on the hunt for a scapegoat – some bunch of villains on which to blame the nation's woes. But how odd that the current candidate turns out to be the labour movement in general, and public sector unions in particular.

READ MORE: Guardian/UK

  • Categories
    FlatWire | Commentary -- WNT Selected
  • Date range
    Sunday, January 09, 2011