Furthermore, Nader accused both Democrats and Republicans of failing to protect the health and welfare of workers. Americans die from occupational hazards at a rate five times the rate of homicides. Nader blamed the declining fortunes of the American worker on the stranglehold by the corporations on both national politics and on the media. In a similar fashion, union officers often have a stranglehold on labor unions that rightfully belong to the working public. The Center for Democratic Unions believes that this stranglehold on unions is at the root of the corporate domination of national politics.
Labor is supposed to provide a counterweight to the corporate interests.
However, without competitive democratic elections union officers will remain incapable of effective leadership. Labor will continue to decline. Until alternate strategies can emerge from vigorous internal debate and competitive elections inside unions, nothing is likely to change. For change to happen, unions need legitimate internal organized political parties. Ralph Nader has an opportunity to help the American public understand how the lack of democracy in unions has put a stranglehold on American working families.