Public-sector union launches ads for Obama jobs bill

The nation's largest public-sector union began running ads in several congressional districts Thursday in support of President Obama's jobs bill.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) will run television and radio ads that will encourage lawmakers to pass the American Jobs Act. The $447 billion proposal includes funding to repair the nation's crumbling infrastructure, modernize school buildings in disrepair and provide aid to local and state governments.

The Senate failed to move the legislation earlier this week.

"Despite this week’s vote in the Senate, millions of Americans are still out of work, the middle class is still under attack and the corporate-backed politicians don’t have a plan to create jobs,” said Gerry McEntee, AFSCME's president, in a statement. "Americans are reclaiming their voice in a Main Street Movement that spans from Madison to Columbus to New York to cities across the nation. Washington can help them by passing the American Jobs Act now."

The ads will run in Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada and Massachusetts. A spokesman for the union said the ad buy will cost close to a million dollars.

Other unions have gotten behind the bill as well — the National Education Association launched ads last month in support of the bill.