Forums are being held all across the country on August 7th. My local forum will be held at the new West Building at McCormick Place in Wichita - which was completed by union workers ahead of schedule and under budget. The Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation is hosting a "watch party" to see and discuss the forum and critical issues in the 2008 election.

The issues that will be discussed effect all working people and working families, whether union or not.

Everyone in the country can catch this forum on television. Due to federal elections law, only AFL-CIO union members and their families may attend the local forums, but it will be broadcast in full for the public on MSNBC from 6-7:30 p.m. CDT (7-8:30 p.m. EST).

The presidential forum, the seven AFL-CIO townhall meetings with presidential candidates that preceded it and the interactive Working Families Vote 2008 website are part of the AFL-CIO's work to involve union members in selecting America's next president and to ensure that the candidates are hearing working families' concerns.

The forum, says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, will give working families in the Chicago audience and those watching and listening at home the chance to hear, "...exactly how these candidates, after eight years of anti-worker policies, plan to return the promise of the American dream to working people ...Keith's wit and political savvy will ensure a lively and substantive discussion about the issues working families care about most."

Along with questions from Keith Olbermann, candidates also will face questions from union members in the audience and from union members who submitted questions to the Working Families Vote 2008 "Ask the Candidates" contest. So far, union members have submitted more than 1,200 questions. Some of the questions will be submitted and selected by visitors to the AFL-CIO's Working Families Vote 2008 website.

Health care is the biggest issue. Other questions focus on education, the war in Iraq, immigration, jobs and wages and campaign finance.

Click here to read a sample of the questions and here to read all the questions and vote for your favorite. The top vote-getters will be asked at the forum.

Also as another part of that effort, the AFL-CIO sent working family issues questionnaires to all major candidates for the presidency, Republicans and Democrats.

Only the Democratic candidates have responded. For more about these candidate positions on working families, click these pages on Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, and Barack Obama.

Mark your calendars for August 7th - MSNBC channel - from 6-7:30 p.m. CDT (7-8:30 p.m. EST)