Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 16, 1993 TAG: 9302160105
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: BAL HARBOUR, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
LABOR WILLING TO SACRIFICE
Organized labor Monday signaled its willingness to go along with higher taxes on the American worker as part of President Clinton's new economic program, as long as any sacrifices called for by the White House are distributed fairly throughout society."We believe that if we want programs from our government, we ought to be willing to pay for them in a fair and equitable way," AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland said after a meeting with top Democratic congressional leaders. "Our members are prepared to pay their fair share."
But Kirkland stopped short of giving Clinton a blank check of approval for his economic program. "I haven't seen it, so I can't offer any guarantees in advance," he said.
The AFL-CIO Executive Council, gathered here for its annual mid-winter meeting, met in the morning with Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, House Speaker Thomas Foley, D-Wash., and House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Miss., to discuss labor's legislative agenda and the president's economic proposal.
One area of possible trouble for organized labor in the president's economic package are indications that Clinton will call for some form of broad-based energy tax. Labor does not like such a tax because it tends to hit poor and low-wage workers the hardest.
Despite any reservations labor might have about individual parts of the program, however, the union leaders gathered here Monday did not appear ready to cross their new friend in the White House.
One reason for labor's support is the union's belief that this is the year to accomplish national health-care reform, and that Clinton is prepared to do it provided it is financially achievable. Labor has long argued against numerous spending proposals, fearing they would take away the chances of national health-care reform.
The congressional leaders said they did not know the details of the economic program, but they supported it. Clinton will spell out his program in an address to Congress Wednesday night.