As I See It: Working people have much at stake in 2020 election

Over the past year, there have been no shortage of victories for organized labor to celebrate here in Massachusetts.

Unions from across the state and political leaders from both sides of the aisle came together to support more than a 1,000 gas workers locked out by National Grid. Labor rallied around 31,000 New England Stop 'N Shop workers who walked off the job during their fight for fair wages and retirement benefits. Healthcare workers with 1199SEIU also won several major contracts at hospitals, homecare agencies and nursing homes that are boosting wages and increasing training opportunities to protect quality care at every stage of life.

Finally, just this past week the state's 48,000 Personal Care Attendants – the men and women who take care of our most vulnerable – signed a new contract increasing wages, paid time off and opportunities for training – all good news for the 3,000 PCAs living in Worcester.

These victories are important. But on this Labor Day, we're looking ahead to another crucial fight – the fight for a future we can all participate in and be proud of.

Simply put: No single event will have more of a far-reaching and lasting impact on working people over the next decade than Election Day 2020. As the Trump Administration and an increasingly aggressive right wing push policies that strip workers of rights and protections, and that benefit only the very richest and most powerful among us, we're responding by organizing in our communities and communicating the crucial issues we're fighting for today, tomorrow and in the next election: strong, middle class jobs and equal rights for all.

One of labor's greatest strengths is our ability to improve the lives of all workers, whether they are in a union or not. As recent victories here in Massachusetts highlight, when organized labor stands together and fights together, we can WIN together.

On a policy level, this means we're organizing to elect candidates – including the next president of the United States – who will join with us in the fight for universal health care, stronger long-term care, union rights, family-sustaining jobs and strong communities. These candidates will advance social and racial justice, work to fix our outdated immigration system and address the climate crisis.

We want to elect a president who will fully invest in the Affordable Care Act and expand access to essential Medicaid and Medicare programs, while also supporting workforce training initiatives that enhance quality care and address critical labor shortages.

A crucial part of strengthening our healthcare system is addressing the long-term care crisis by increasing federal funding for worker training, and adopting regulations that enhance oversight of this vital industry.

It's no secret that organized labor plays a major role in building a stronger economy. When working people do better, we all do better. As we look to the next election, we want to elect candidates that give workers a real opportunity to join unions and who are committed to creating new ways to support employees' ability to collectively bargain with employers.

To create better jobs, we also need to increase the percentage of private sector workers who have access to paid family leave through their employers. While Massachusetts has made major gains in this area, much work remains to be done to create paid time off for individuals who need sick leave, or to care for a child or other loved one. At the same time, we need to strengthen equal pay protections and fight back against practices that allow for employer retaliation and discrimination.

Immigrants play a crucial role in the delivery of healthcare and other services here in Massachusetts and around the nation. Rather than pushing inhumane and ineffective immigration policies that tear families apart, we should focus resources on policies that keep communities safe and that open new opportunities for permanent legal immigration.

Finally, our next president must work to create trust and transparency in our justice system through meaningful criminal justice reform.

Our issues are winning issues – they are the reforms that most Americans want, but they face a difficult, dogged fight in the face of entrenched, well-funded opposition. Across the country, organized labor – through its energized members elevating their voices – helped fuel the 2018 Blue Wave that flipped 40 House seats. We can do that again.

Much is at stake in this next election. The healthcare workers of 1199SEIU are joining our brothers and sisters across the nation in this effort to elect candidates who will stand with and improve the lives of everyone in this country. The fight for 2020 and a future we can all be proud of kicks off today.

Tim Foley is executive vice president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

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