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WEBB THANKS RANK-AND-FILE FOR SUPPORT-DAILYPRESS.COM, AUGUST 17, 2007

Posted: Saturday August 18, 2007

At labor lovefest, Webb thanks rank-and-file for support
By MATTHEW BARAKAT | Associated Press Writer
August 17, 2007

McLEAN, Va. – It’s becoming something of a tradition: a top political leader in Virginia offering thanks and pledging solidarity with labor unions at the annual political convention of the Virginia AFL-CIO.

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., thanked the labor movement for its early and fervent support in his narrow upset victory over incumbent George Allen.

His speech was remarkably similar to the one offered a year ago by Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who said labor’s support helped him defeat Republican Jerry Kilgore in 2005.

The lovefest between labor and Virginia’s two top Democrats _ Kaine also addressed the convention on Friday—reflects how quickly the political landscape has changed in Virginia, once considered reliably Republican and generally unfriendly to labor.

Webb recalled his decision in October to walk a picket line with striking steelworkers in Southside Virginia, as his race with Allen was neck and neck. Many advisers said it was a bad idea.

“I still don’t know whether it was the right political thing to do—I’m sure it lost some votes and I’m sure that it energized some folks—but it was the right thing to do,” Webb said.

Webb talked throughout his fall campaign about issues of economic fairness, chastising corporate America for excessive pay to CEOs while wages for rank-and-file workers stagnated.

He said Congress is beginning to advance the ball on such issues, although he acknowledged progress is slow.

Before the November elections, “the so-called populist caucus consisted of one individual—Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. Now he has some help. We’re talking about economic fairness. We’re talking about tax fairness, whether corporate America should be paying its way,” Webb said.

Virginia AFL-CIO President James Leaman introduced Webb and told delegates “he has exceeded our expectations” since taking office. Among other things, Webb sponsored legislation sought by unions that would make it easier to organize workplaces by changing the rules by which workers vote for union representation.

Webb also promised to campaign aggressively for pro-union candidates in Virginia’s legislative elections in November, which he said will be viewed as a national bellwether.

He also reminded the union of a political sore spot—the General Assembly’s rejection of a Kaine cabinet appointee, former union leader Daniel LeBlanc. He urged aggressive campaigns against every legislator who opposed LeBlanc’s appointment. The house of Delegates rejected LeBlanc’s appointment on a purely party line vote.

“My dad taught me that if you get in a fight—whether you win or lose—you make sure that the other person is marked,” Webb said as the audience of 300 delegates erupted in a standing ovation.

Shaun Kenney, a spokesman for the Virginia GOP, questioned whether the politicians’ close ties to labor might eventually result in efforts to repeal Virginia’s right-to-work laws.

“That’s high on the agenda for Big Labor,” Kenney said. “Virginia’s status as a right-to-work state has resulted in us being one of the most business-friendly states in the nation.”