The years-long assault on workers’ and voting rights at state and national levels by corporate special interests and their political allies means, says a resolution on political action approved this afternoon by delegates to the AFL-CIO 2013 Convention:

It is crucial that our political action maximize the potential for workers to organize and bargain collectively.

Dick Yuengling Jr., who runs the D.G. Yuengling and Son brewery out of Pottsville, Pa., says he supports a "right to work" for less law for his home state. He specifically says that such a policy would attract more businesses to the state. He also came out in favor of lowering taxes on businesses.

Information about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) working in secret to push state-level policy to more extreme levels is coming to light more and more and America's working families are starting to stand up to the group's corporate-driven agenda. While ALEC's agenda is all over the policy map, the organization has a particular focus on pushing new laws that attack working families and undercut the rights of workers, both in the workplace and in retirement.  Here are eight of the most dangerous and most widespread ways that ALEC is targeting workers and their right to a voice on the job.

Having a job, says this new video (after the jump) from the Laborers (LIUNA), is not the end goal itself, but something that traditionally puts workers on a path to prosperity and opened the door to the American Dream. But, that was likely more true for your parents and grandparents because:

Since the 1950s, the so-called right to work movement has been trying to weaken your power and the power of unions, which results in lower wages and living standards.

Watch the full video after the jump.

When Chris Ormes, president of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1241 in Bardstown, Ky., heard a "right to work" for less speaker was heading his way, he opted for his own “rapid response.” Says Ormes: 

The local Republican Women's Club invited Alan Blincoe of Kentucky Citizens for Right to Work to one of their meetings. I called Leo Downs and Wanda Riney from our local. All three of us went.

This weekend, Missouri working families went door to door to tell their friends and neighbors about a series of anti-worker bills Republicans are pushing in the state legislature. Across the state, Missourians described the right-wing push that is advancing paycheck deception, anti-prevailing wage and "right to work" for less bills.

Last year, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) pulled a classic political flip-flop when he proclaimed that "right to work" for less legislation wasn’t on his agenda. But late last year, he spearheaded the drive to ram the anti-work bill through a lame-duck legislative session that shut out the public.

This morning, as the law went into effect, nearly 100 Michigan union and community activists demonstrated outside the Detroit Athletic Club where Snyder was the main speaker at its annual "Pancakes & Politics” breakfast, in an action organized by the coalition We Are Michigan.

The paycheck deception law proposed in Missouri would create burdensome restrictions that interfere with union members’ rights to participate in the political and legislative process. These laws also weaken the ability of working people to advance working family issues such as legislation that would create jobs and stop job outsourcing. Missouri AFL-CIO President Hugh McVey sent the following alert to working family activists:

I'm writing you with very disappointing news and an urgent call to action. After more than eight hours of filibuster, the Missouri Senate advanced S.B. 29, paycheck deception. 

Call your representative now at 888-907-9711 and urge him or her to oppose paycheck deception, "right to work" for less and anti-prevailing wage bills.

Voters from across the state of Missouri wrote letters to their state senators this week, urging them to reject "right to work" for less and paycheck deception legislation. Both proposals are currently before the state's General Assembly.

It was no charming third time for former New Hampshire House Speaker William O’Brien (R) as the state House of Representatives decisively defeated (212-141) a "right to work" for less bill sponsored by O’Brien who no longer holds the speaker’s post.  

New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Mark MacKenzie called today’s vote “a strong rebuttal of ex-Speaker O'Brien's attacks on the middle class.” O’Brien championed the anti-worker measure in the past two sessions only to see it die both times.