UE Political Action Updates

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Working People Can’t Afford to Sit Out 2020 Presidential Election

August 26, 2020

Working people deserve a government, and a president, who will stand up for them against the corporate onslaught of the past several decades. We have to be honest that the 2020 elections will not deliver that president. Nonetheless, as UE delegates noted at our convention, “it is critical that working people remove the anti-labor and racist Trump from office.” We encourage all UE members and locals to make every effort to oust Trump from office in the November elections, recognizing that the only way to do that is to elect Joe Biden. Members should then be prepared to fight like hell to hold a Biden administration accountable to the people.

Take action this weekend to save the post office and demand Medicare for All

August 21, 2020

There are issues and problems that working people face which cannot be addressed at the bargaining table, and we have the right to expect that our governmental bodies and representatives will respond to the needs of the people. Tomorrow (Saturday, August 22) there are two opportunities to join volunteer-led, socially distanced events as part of two National Days of Action:

Demand the Senate Protect Essential Workers

July 15, 2020

Essential workers have continued to ensure that we can have access to food, health care, sanitation, and other vital goods and services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet employers have failed to provide essential workers with safe conditions, appropriate equipment, safety standards, or job protections, which has led to the deaths of far too many working people. If employers will not ensure the health, well-being and financial security of all essential workers, the government must step in to protect workers’ lives.

UE-Endorsed State Rep. Summer Lee Fends Off Establishment Challenge

June 4, 2020

Pennsylvania State Representative Summer Lee, who addressed UE’s 2019 convention, easily defeated a primary challenger supported by the Democratic Party establishment on Tuesday. “This is a win for all working people and all who live and are from the 34th District,” said Local 610 President Antwon "Swanny" Gibson. “Summer is the leader we need to stand up for racial justice and racial equality for an economy that functions not only for African-Americans but also for workers, the sick, and the elderly.

Bold and Concrete Action to End the Killing of Black People

May 29, 2020

It is with shock and horror that we watched the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minnesota this week. Along with the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, it serves as a reminder that Black lives simply do not matter to many of the people who run our society or the police forces who enforce their laws.

Senator Sanders Introduces Bold Bill to Address Healthcare Needs During Pandemic

May 23, 2020

On May 15, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Karen Bass introduced the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act. It would have Medicare pay for all necessary medical expenses for all uninsured Americans, including those tens of millions of unemployed workers who have lost their employment-based health insurance. Medicare would also pay for all out-of-pocket expenses for those currently covered by private insurance or any public insurance plan (including traditional Medicare).

Sanders Campaign Brought Working People to the Center of American Politics

April 8, 2020

Reacting to Senator Bernie Sanders’ announcement this morning that he is suspending his 2020 presidential campaign, UE General President Carl Rosen said that “In his two presidential campaigns, Bernie Sanders highlighted the way corporations and billionaires have corrupted our democracy and showed that by standing together, working people can successfully fight back. He has fundamentally changed American politics, making pro-worker policies like Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, and strengthening workers’ ability to join unions central to political debate.”

April 6, 2020

UE officers: In order to bring the COVID-19 public health crisis under control, we must shut down all workplaces except those truly critical to sustaining life; give workers in those critical jobs everything they need to do their work safely and compensate them for the immense risk they are taking; and provide robust economic support for everyone else to allow and incentivize them to stay home.

UE Joins Call for “People’s Bailout”

March 25, 2020

A coalition of hundreds of worker, community and environmental organizations, including UE, launched a new People’s Bailout campaign yesterday, to demand that congressional coronavirus responses focus on the needs of working people.

“Now is the time for bold actions that will not only save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, but also create an economy that works for working people,” said UE General President Carl Rosen.

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