President Obama's Promises Regarding Labor

Increase minimum wage every year (Comments)
"I won't wait 10 years to raise the minimum wage. I'll guarantee that it goes up every single year." — 11/7/07, Bettendorf, Iowa

Support workers' right to organize (Comments)
"If American workers are being denied their right to organize when I'm in the White House, I will put on a comfortable pair of shoes and I will walk on that picket line with you as president of the United States." — 11.3/07, Spartanburg, S.C.

Work to ban permanent replacement of striking workers (Comments)
"He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

Invest $1 billion in transitional jobs programs (Comments)
"I will invest $1 billion over five years in innovative transitional jobs programs that have been highly successful at placing the unemployed into temporary jobs and then training them for permanent ones." — 7/18/07, Washington, D.C.

Stand up for working parents (Comments)
"I'll be a president who stands up for working parents." — 11/7/07, Bettendorf, Iowa

Require automatic retirement savings plans (Comments)
"When I'm president, employers will be required to enroll every worker in a direct deposit retirement account that places a small percentage of every paycheck into savings." — 1/29/08, El Dorado, Kan.

Expand Family Medical Leave Act (Comments)
"I'll expand the Family Medical Leave Act to include more businesses and millions more workers" — 11/7/07, Bettendorf, Iowa

Won't sign trade pacts lacking labor and environmental standards (Comments)
"It's because of this longstanding commitment to working families that I will not sign any trade agreement as president that does not have protections for our environment and protections for American workers." — 2/24/08, Lorain, Ohio

Sign the Employee Free Choice Act (Comments)
"That (union right to organize) is why I'll fight for and why I intend to sign the Employee Free Choice Act when it lands on my desk in the White House." — 4/15/08, Washington, D.C.

End Tax Breaks for Companies that Ship Jobs Overseas (Comments)
"We'll pass the Patriot Employer Act that I've been fighting for ever since I ran for the Senate, so we can end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and give them to companies that create good jobs with decent wages right here in America.." — 4/2/08, Philadelphia

Enforce the Equal Pay Act (Comments)
"Barack Obama will better enforce the Equal Pay Act, fight job discrimination, and improve child care options and family medical leave to give women equal footing in the workplace." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

Help states adopt paid-leave systems (Comments)
"Obama will initiate a strategy to encourage all 50 states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with startup costs and to help states offset the costs for employees and employers." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

Promote workplace flexibility and telecommuting (Comments)
"Obama will create a program to inform businesses about the benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal incentives for telecommuting." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

Require employers to provide paid sick leave (Comments)
"Obama will require that employers provide seven paid sick days per year to their employees." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

If you know of other promises about labor or workplace,

please add them to comments.

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