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Workers in Illinois Say - 'Jobs Crisis' Far From Over
Washington, D.C., May 07, 2004 - The jobs crisis is still the number one
issue for blue collar, middle class voters in Illinois, according to a
new poll (click on following link to view) - http://www.iamaw.org/publications/pdfs/poll_tables.pdf
- by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).
The survey, conducted for the IAM by Fingerhut & Associates, also
identifies issues that could decide the outcome of the upcoming
presidential election in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Washington State.
"Nearly one quarter of all the workers surveyed reported a job loss
in their immediate family during the past two years," said IAM
Midwest Territory General Vice President James E. Brown. "Here in
Illinois, 41percent of those reporting job losses in their family said
that person was not back at work. And 68 percent believe the situation
for their children and grandchildren is likely to get worse."
"A tick up or down in the unemployment rate misses the point,"
said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger, whose union lost
90,000 members since 2000. "The fear of job loss runs deep among
the workers surveyed in this poll. For millions of middle class
Americans, both in and out of work, the nation's employment crisis is
far from over."
The survey also revealed dramatic political potential for the candidate
or party willing to give more than lip service to America's blue-collar
concerns. Every job creation idea tested in the survey drew strong
support from four-fifths of the respondents. Additionally, seven out of
ten voters polled said they would be willing to forgo current or future
tax cuts for programs to create or protect U.S. jobs.
Despite the traditional alliance between blue-collar workers and
Democratic candidates, the survey found a huge reservoir of potential
votes for whichever candidate will act decisively on their behalf.
"The blue collar vote in these states is still up for grabs,"
said Buffenbarger. "The candidate who ultimately connects with
these workers could ride that support all the way to the White House.
The candidate who ignores them will do so at his own expense."
The IAM represents nearly 700,000 active and retired members and
administers more than 4,500 contracts in transportation, woodworking,
aerospace, manufacturing and defense related industries. For more
information, visit their web site at www.goiam.org
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