Obama says Senate will pass union organization measure

CHICAGO -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Saturday the Senate would pass legislation making it easier for workers to start unions against companies' wishes. Getting it past President Bush is another matter, he said.

"We may have to wait for the next president to sign it, but we will pass it," the Illinois senator told a cheering crowd of more than 1,000 people at a labor rally. "We will get this thing done."

Despite Obama's optimism, the Senate's Republican leader, Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, has said he will block the measure and the White House says Bush will veto it if it gets to him.

The House passed the Employee Free Choice Act on Thursday.

Obama headlined a rally that included national and local labor leaders, and state politicians. The event was sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which has 100,000 active and retired members in Illinois.

It was Obama's second major public appearance in his hometown in as many days. The state's junior senator did not take questions from reporters at either event.

On Friday, Obama told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that he was committed to the security of Israel. He criticized the Bush administration for what he said were failings in Iraq that have strengthened Iran's position in the region.

The senator planned to be in Selma, Ala., on Sunday to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the civil rights march that helped end segregation in the South.