The fate of working Americans got a boost before inauguration day, when President-elect Barack Obama created a new high-level White House Taskforce on Working Families. The taskforce got added luster when he put Vice President Joseph Biden at the helm. Biden immediately held late-December meetings with top Obama economic advisors, discussing the problems workers face.

AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney cheered Obama’s move, noting the Biden-led task force would have a full agenda to tackle.

“The economy is in meltdown, real wages and incomes…have been stagnant or eroding for decades, savings and home values have plummet•ed and our nation’s health care and retirement security systems are in dire need of reform,” Sweeney said.  “We look forward to working with Biden and other members of the task force to address these daunting challenges.”  Obama said the taskforce would