"This policy reversal is against the best interest of the security of crew and passengers in the aircraft cabin and we will stop at nothing to fight it, " said the Flight Attendants Union Coalition, in a press statement issued Thursday announcing its campaign to reverse the TSA's decision.

CNN: Knives on a plane? Really?

However, with all of that said, the economic climate we live in today means that union activists will not be able to fend off the calls for their members to pay more for health benefits and accept other concessions in order to meet budget shortfalls on the local, state and national level.

CNN: Unions have to make concessions

And as I said in my State of the Union address last month, every day we should be asking ourselves three questions.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (Republican, California): What was wrong with the previous administration was that when the prison guard union went to them and said, we want have 40 percent increase in our wages, they gave it to them.

NPR: Union Wants Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Gone

But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, whose Liberal Democrats oppose a referendum, said leaving altogether would "make us less safe because we co-operate in the European Union to go after criminal gangs that cross borders".

BBC: PM promises 'proper choice' on EU after Lawson comments

"We have the benefits of being in the European Union, but not the euro zone, " he said.

WSJ: European Disunion: Euro's Allure Dims in Eastern Europe

"Improvements in our civil discourse and how we debate issues will certainly play a role in this year's State of the Union, " Gibbs said.

CNN: Daley gets down to business

"We'll probably see athletes in the Olympics sporting a few union jacks made out of it, " he said.

BBC: Why are athletes wearing coloured tape?