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Legislation did not protect American workers

Frustrated by the lack of protections for American workers — as well as other deficiencies — the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) mounted an aggressive nationwide campaign that helped defeat the comprehensive immigration reform bill in the U.S. Senate June 7.

Community support keeps union hopes alive

“Estamos unidos,” Jose Luis Alcala told a freelance video journalist on the sidewalk outside Fox Valley Forge while his fellow workers picketed behind him. “We are united. And I believe the company will give up, because we are united.”

Alcala is a committeeman for a group of 50 forge employees whose struggle illustrates how important unions are to immigrants, as well as how far some companies will go to keep unions out.

Some delegates visit a dozen or more congressmen

IN THE BUSTLING U.S. House and Senate office buildings, more than 100 Boilermakers — some alone, but most in groups of three or four — hurry to their appointments with congressmen as part of the 2007 Legislative Education Action Program (LEAP) conference.

Six candidates oust incumbent Republicans

FOR DEMOCRATS, REGAINING control of the U.S. Senate in the 2006 midterm elections was the longest of long shots. They had to keep Democrats in two open seats, in Minnesota and Maryland; all Democratic incumbents had to be returned to office; and six Republican incumbents had to lose to Democratic challengers.

When all three events came to pass, the Democrats held the majority by a single seat — 51-49. This includes Independents Bernie Sanders (VT) and Joe Lieberman (CT), who say they will caucus with Democrats.