Unions that were neutral or backing Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries are quickly lining up in the Obama camp.

Among those that have just endorsed the Illinois senator’s presidential campaign are the United Auto Workers, the United Transportation Union and the Sheet Metal Workers. Also signaling that their unions will endorse Obama are Ed McElroy, president of the American Federation of Teachers and Gerald McAntee, president of AFSCME.

The UAW was neutral during the primary contests. The Steel Workers and the Mine Workers originally backed former Sen. John Edwards.

The latest moves bring the AFL-CIO very close to being able to make a federation-wide endorsement of Obama. The Change toWin federation has already done so. To endorse, the federation must have the votes of General Board members representing two thirds of its 9 million members.

Labor seems to be moving to the Obama column in the elections.  As in the past, labor has come out in favor of a candidate only to be crapped on later.  Hopefully, this will not be the case this time around.  Personally, I am not that optimistic.