BERLIN — Ikea has long been famous for its inexpensive, some-assembly-required furniture. On Friday the company admitted that political prisoners in the former East Germany provided some of the labor that helped it keep its prices so low.

Read what America's unions are saying about the 2012 election, such as this statement from the Ironworkers: "Once again, our faith in democracy and the American people has stood up to the unlimited dollars and fraudulent campaign of the radical right." Unions are praising the grassroots success of the campaign and are looking ahead to make sure promises are kept to working families.

Veronica Avila, the daughter of immigrants who rose out of Chicago's poor meatpacking yards neighborhood, went on to college and then returned to her community to organize restaurant workers, has been named winner of the 2012 Edna Award. The Edna, which carries a $10,000 prize, honors women age 35 or younger who have distinguished themselves as leaders of the social justice movement. It is named after Edna Berger, the first woman organizer of The Newspaper Guild and the inspiration behind the Berger-Marks Foundation. Avila and three finalists for the award will be honored at a reception Nov. 14 at the National Press Club.

Introducing a piece by a professor and member of the California Teachers Association, the Pacific Media Workers Guild stresses that the union "has a long practice of staying out of electoral matters. We rarely take positions on issues or candidates, unlike our parent union, CWA. But we do raise our voices when we see campaigns deliberately mislead voters. Look at the misleading anti-union measure known as Proposition 32 -- and make up your own mind." Professor John Logan writes, "Every so often in California politics, a ballot measure comes along that is so deceptive, so fraudulent, that it almost takes one’s breath away."