Working American Dream: Foundation for the New Progressive Majority

WASHINGTON, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Working American Dream -- quality
health care, good jobs and educational opportunity -- is the foundation for
the new progressive majority. Workers are looking to government to play an
active role in turning this economy around and renewing the American Dream,
yet they remain skeptical of the effectiveness of government and the
commitment of politicians to represent the interests of working families,
according to a new survey conducted by Lake Research Partners and released
today at the "America's Future Now" conference.

"We have seen a fundamental shift against the right-wing view of less
government among working Americans to strong support for effective government
action to renew the American Dream," said pollster Celinda Lake. "For the
majority of working American's, effective government regulation and corporate
accountability are crucial to rebuilding our economy."

The majority of workers (65 percent) still believe the American Dream is
realistic, but see it as under attack. Due to great economic distress and
anxiety, a stunning majority of Americans (52 percent) fear that someone in
their family or a friend will lose their health insurance in the next year,
and even more (58 percent) fear a family member or friend will lose their job.
Moreover, two-thirds think it will be harder for the next generation to
achieve the Dream.

Working Americans point the finger of blame specifically at corporate greed
and its stranglehold on government for the decline of the American Dream and
they are looking to Congress to take action on the American Dream agenda.
While President Obama remains hugely popular (65 percent favorable) among
workers, corporate CEOs and Republicans in Congress receive strikingly high
disapproval ratings of 64 percent and 52 percent respectively. Though
Democrats in Congress are viewed as more favorable (49 percent), their job
approval ratings are mostly characterized as "fair."

In order to win over the emerging progressive majority among America's
workers, Congress must implement an effective action agenda that includes
cracking down on corporations that outsource good jobs (83 percent), creating
a more progressive tax system (81 percent), encouraging and enforcing fairness
in the workplace (83 percent), and providing quality, affordable health care
(80 percent). They also want an end to the hedge fund loophole (75 percent),
to require large employers provide for health care (82 percent), and to invest
in green manufacturing and infrastructure projects to create new jobs (85
percent).

"America's workers are demanding action now on an agenda for change," said
Change to Win chair Anna Burger. "Workers want an effective and active
government that will implement comprehensive health care reform, strong energy
policies, and educational opportunities for workers new and old. This is the
year we make our elected officials accountable for the promises they made when
we voted for them."

More information on Change to Win's American Dream Survey Series is available
at: www.changetowin.org/americandream.

About Change to Win
Change to Win is a partnership of seven unions and six million members founded
in 2005 to organize workers of the new American economy. Change to Win is
committed to restoring the American Dream so that all workers have a paycheck
that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure and dignified
retirement, and the opportunity for the next generation to be better off. The
seven affiliated unions are: Service Employees International Union, UNITE
HERE, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, International
Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America,
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and United Farm
Workers of America.

SOURCE Change to Win

Greg Denier, +1-202-486-2375, or Noreen Nielsen, +1-202-721-6047, both of
Change to Win