President Barack Obama said the U.S. needs unions for good wages and security. Obama says GOP 'absurd'

President Barack Obama used his Wednesday video message to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees convention to call GOP attacks “absurd.”

“That’s why it’s so absurd that Republicans in Washington are trying to blame unions for economic challenges facing working Americans,” Obama said in a pretaped video message, after praising unions. “Unions aren’t the ones blocking workers from getting a raise. Unions aren’t the ones blocking fair pay. Unions aren’t the ones blocking common sense jobs to grow the economy for everyone. And unions sure aren’t the ones cheering this week’s Supreme Court ruling that made it harder for you to fight for working Americans.”


Obama linked his message of building a stronger middle class to the benefits of unions.

“We’ve got to end the policies that stack the decks for those at the tops and against the middle class. That’s why we need unions,” he said. “If I were looking for a good job with good wages that lets me build some security for my family, I’d join a union.”