Tough times for labor

Picnics and beach trips aside, this Labor Day is not bringing good times for the American worker. Daily News,

Unemployment remains stubbornly high. Salaries and benefits are stagnant. And union membership has dropped to historically low levels throughout the nation.

Around Los Angeles, several potential strikes are looming, but the state of the economy has made many union members wary of anything that threatens their employment or income.

A new study by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment shows the recession is taking a dramatic toll on union membership.