Honoring Labor Day By Supporting Working Families
On Monday, I’m proud I’ll be marching alongside workers and union members in downtown Detroit, a city that represents important fights in the history of the labor movement, and the birth of the middle class in our country.
As we partake in the final hotdogs of the summer, it’s important to remember what this day is all about: how labor unions set the groundwork for the workplace protections and benefits that families across Michigan and our country rely on to get by and thrive.
Even if you’re not a union member, you’ve likely benefited from the hard-fought advancements our unions spearheaded: Have you taken a sick day, received paid leave for medical reasons or vacation, or received overtime pay? Unions paved the way for all of these. Have you ever had an employer-paid health insurance plan? Workers comp? Or used sexual harassment laws to correct a workplace wrong? All thanks to union bargaining. When I took a leave from work to come home to Michigan and take care of my mom in the last months of her life, I saw more clearly than ever why these advancements were so important. My time off simply wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of union members who made that possible for my family.
But we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Middle class families are experiencing what I call the “great squeeze” that comes from rising costs and stagnant wages, and unions are under attack from politicians at both the state and federal level. Right to Work laws have been devastating for Michigan. The groups I am marching with on Labor Day are on the frontlines of the effort to ensure that workers can be safe on the job, provide for their families, and have a secure retirement.
Labor Day is a time to recognize and reflect on that work, and for elected officials to recommit to the too-often ignored task of fighting to improve the lives of working families. By focusing on this mission — which is what I will do every day if elected — we can stay true to that simple promise we make to our citizens, that if you work hard and play by the rules, you’ll do well and your kids will do better.
