Dear Friends:

President Barack Obama issued a series of executive orders last week reversing Bush administration policies that favored employers over workers. 

The Orders will:

• Require federal contractors to offer jobs to current workers when contracts change.

• Reverse a Bush administration order requiring federal contractors to post notice that workers can limit financial support of unions serving as their exclusive bargaining representatives.

• Prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for expenses meant to influence workers deciding whether to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.

Middle Class Taskforce

The Task Force, chaired by Vice President Biden is an initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class and working families in America.  In addition to regular meetings, the Task Force will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities.  The Task Force will expedite administrative reforms, propose Executive orders, and develop legislative and policy proposals focused on working families.  The Task Force will operate in a transparent fashion, in an open, two-way dialogue directly with the American people.

Any materials from meetings or reports produced will be made available to the public at: http://www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov. 

The first meeting will be Feb. 27th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the topic will be: “Green Jobs: A Pathway to a Strong Middle Class.”.

Members of the Middle Class Task Force include: 

Vice President Biden, Chair; the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Commerce, as well as the Directors of the National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors.

Goals of the task force: 

• Expanding education and lifelong training opportunities

• Improving work and family balance

• Restoring labor standards, including workplace safety

• Helping to protect middle-class and working-family incomes

• Protecting retirement security

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