In the last two years, working people in this country have been under extreme duress. From anti-worker legislation in Congress, to union-busting executive orders by the administration, and even a Supreme Court now ruling in favor of companies over people (see Janus v. AFSCME) – it’s vital that this Tuesday we elect a Congress that will keep this administration in check and stand with workers.
To do that, the working class must band together and vote for candidates – regardless of party affiliation – who will fight for our rights at work, and will make the wealthiest of Americans pay their fair share – neither of which is happening with our current elected officials.
In the House, Republicans have a strong margin for their majority. Right now, there are 236 Republicans to 193 Democrats – meaning Democrats must pick up 25 seats to be in the majority. This is crucial, because for the last two years, the House has severely hurt federal workers.
For example, earlier this year, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to pass a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal workers in 2019. This was 1.3 percent lower than Rep. Gerry Connolly’s FAIR Act proposed in the House, but it was still too much for the Republican-controlled chamber to get through. They have sided with President Trump, who wants to freeze wages next year. There’s still time for this to be fixed, but I’m not holding my breath.
So instead of America’s workforce being fairly compensated, and receiving what they’re owed, federal workers are left to hope that the president who wants to eliminate their jobs and rob their pensions will have an 11th hour change of heart.
In the Senate, Republicans have a narrow margin of 51-49 for the majority. Unfortunately, this year there are far more Democrats defending their seats than there are Republicans. But, there’s still a realistic chance Democrats can pick up the two seats needed to retake the majority, and it’s vital they do.
Why? Because, legislation-wise, the Senate has also been generally unkind to workers.
In the last two years, the Republican-controlled Senate passed a heinous bill that gives tax windfalls to corporations and the top one percent but leaves the working class behind; they have sat on and blocked S. 337 – the FAMILY Act; and they’ve confirmed two of the most anti-worker Supreme Court Justices in Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
And while there are no seats on the country’s highest court that look to be filled in the next two years, it’s paramount we ensure the Senate can block the president from getting any more Justices entrenched on the court, ruling for corporations over working people for decades to come.
Every election cycle, we at the American Federation of Government Employees put forth a strong effort to ensure we elect labor-friendly candidates who will support our cause. It doesn’t matter the party, if they are a friend to federal workers, we’re happy to support them.
This year, AFGE has already endorsed 372 candidates on both sides of the aisle from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. With endorsements for everything from county-wide to state-wide races, AFGE is investing in getting pro-worker officials elected to every level of government. Not only that, but we’ve held numerous town halls and rallies with candidates attending and speaking on behalf of workers and veterans, and will be knocking on doors until polls close on Tuesday, November 6.
So, if you care about having a voice in the workplace, or earning a living wage, don’t sit idly by this year.
Get out and vote. Tell your friends and family to as well. The pro-worker candidates we need to protect the middle class and America’s workforce are out there ready to stand with us – will you support them?
