Labor chief Trumka promises aggressive push to make 2016 presidential hopefuls address wages

The nation's top labor leader says politicians of all ideologies have failed American workers in an era of rising profits and declining wages, and he's vowing to pressure candidates for president in 2016 to address the issue.

The AFL-CIO's executive council meets this week in Atlanta to work on its strategy for the upcoming campaign. President Richard Trumka is the leader of the 12.5 million-member organization, and he says higher wages can be a unifying value.

But Trumka also acknowledges unions are struggling to connect with voters skeptical of the benefits of organized labor.

He cites the success of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as an example. The Republican presidential contender has curtailed bargaining rights for public employees in his state, and won election three times in the past four years.