Bradley calls for changes in union laws

The two democrats vying for their party’s presidential nomination arespeaking this week at a major Iowa labor convention being held in Waterloo. Bill Bradley, a former New Jersey Senator, address the Iowa A-F-L/C-I-Oconvention this morning.Bradley decried the drop in union membership. At one time, Bradley said, 30percent of American workers were represented by a union. Now, just 11percent of private sector workers are unionized. Bradley proposed federalaction to help workers form unions.Bradley said federal labor laws are tilted against union organizers.Bradley proposed putting “new teeth” in the federal law which forbids thefiring of workers who are talking about organizing a union.Bradley had an 86-percent approval rating with the AFL-CIO when he served inthe United States Senate. Vice President Al Gore will address the AFL-CIOconvention tomorrow.