Little Rock -- Wes Clark reacted today to two reports released by the Labor Department that indicate the gap in wages for U.S. workers is growing as the fraction of workers in labor unions declines.

"A strong union movement is essential for creating a high wage economy. We cannot reverse the rising inequality of wages without reversing the declining unionization of workers," said Clark.

"Unions have a particularly important role to play in the new economy. They not only help workers capture the wages that they deserve, they also support training and mobility and ensure that ordinary Americans have a strong voice among policy makers. We've got to prepare our workforce in this economy to be able to move from job-to-job, from skill-to-skill. To help prepare our workforce, we are going to have to update the antiquated and outdated laws which keep unions from having a bigger role in this economy. That's why I will stand up for workers' rights to organize. I will fight to ensure that corporations cannot get away with harassing and intimidating employees who are trying to exercise their right to form unions. Workers should be able to choose their representatives in a genuinely democratic manner."

Wes Clark will help working families by cutting taxes on hard working families, increasing the minimum wage, making health insurance more affordable and providing health insurance for every child, investing in education and universal preschool, and making college more affordable.