Ninety-year-old Augusta Thomas, national vice president for women and fair practices at AFGE, knows each step gets her closer to helping elect candidates who will work for working families.

Thomas is canvassing in Cleveland, telling America's workers what's at stake for them and their families in this election.

Women are bringing home the bacon, says AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Shuler, and what are they most concerned about this election? Jobs and the economy.

Shuler addressed more than 100 women of all ages at a Women Vote 2012 kick-off luncheon today at the AFL-CIO headquarters. 

Now, more than ever, women need to make sure their voices are heard about the kind of future they envision for themselves and their families. 

Women still make only 77 cents to the dollar men earn in America. Worldwide, "women are paid 18 percent on average less than their male counterparts at work." This pay gap has persisted without change for a decade. 

This is a cross-post form Crooks and Liars

Thursday, I reported that several major labor unions expressed support for Barack Obama's statement that he supports the right of all Americans to marry, regardless of their sexual orientation. More unions expressed their support for the president and marriage equality in a move that, as I pointed out yesterday, is good for Obama, for unions and for LGBT Americans.

America is slowly recovering from the Great Recession and long-term economic growth depends on how well we integrate the poor and people of color into the mainstream economy, according to a brand new report.