OPINION: The surge in union organizing should inspire us all

Labor Day is an opportunity to reflect on what working people have achieved over the decades and also a prod to spur our modern fight for economic justice and a strong middle class.

In past decades, working people used collective action, dedicated organizing and unionism to win the weekend, end child labor, achieve the 40-hour work week, safer workplaces and important steps toward equality on the job.

Recently, corporate special interest attacks on labor law have systematically upended that delicate balance. For many of us with two or even three jobs, the 40-hour week is long gone. The idea of two days off each week is a fantasy. It is much harder today for any of us to exercise our constitutional freedom of speech and assembly to organize and form unions on the job. CEO pay continues to grow at a dizzying rate, while pay for the rest of us generally stays flat.

The result? An ever-widening inequality gap with more Alaskans thinking that the hallmarks of middle-class life are out of reach and unachievable. Buy a house? Save for your kid’s college fund? Retire? Forget it.

But we have an opportunity to reverse this trend. And from the looks of it, working people are ready to seize it. You’ve seen the headlines; from Amazon warehouses to construction sites to hotels and restaurants, we are in the midst of a historical upswing of labor organizing. Working people are coming together to fight for better wages and working conditions, safer workspaces, and dignity and respect on the job.

In fact, the number of petitions filed at the National Labor Relations Board by workers to exercise our freedom to stand together in unions is up 69% compared to last year.

In addition, we have an unprecedented influx of infrastructure dollars that will spur new work for years to come. We must capitalize upon this opportunity and ensure that the jobs coming to our state are good union jobs that can support a family and the next generation of Alaskans.

The right to organize for safe working conditions and better pay and benefits is a fundamental American right, and we are proud to support candidates who understand this fact. Support for working families is not a partisan issue. This year, our endorsements span the political spectrum: Republicans, independents and Democrats.

The Alaska AFL-CIO endorsed Sen. Lisa Murkowski based on her historical support for working families and always ensuring that Alaska is getting its fair share of projects so we can keep building our young state.

We endorsed Mary Peltola, whose record in the Legislature shows us that she will always put Alaska and Alaskans first. She believes that the middle class was built by workers who joined together under the premise that fundamental rights do not end when you enter the workplace.

We endorsed Bill Walker and Heidi Drygas because they have the strength of character to tell people hard truths and to lead with integrity. They are pro-worker to their core. As longtime union members, they understand the plight of working families in our state. A Walker-Drygas administration will rebuild our state and put working families first so that Alaska can thrive for years to come.

This surge and the historic opportunity should inspire us all, especially during the Labor Day holiday. That’s why, this November, we must do everything in our power to elect pro-worker candidates who will hold corporations accountable and protect working families.

Unionism is truly and deeply an exercise of Alaska’s values. It’s beautiful, and it works. Let’s fight for it and the candidates who support it.

Joelle Hall is the president of the Alaska AFL-CIO, the state’s largest coalition of labor unions. She lives in Peters Creek.

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