Labor Day : It’s Better in a Union

By New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech

Labor Day is a day to be with friends and family, but also to remember and reflect on the strength and determination of working families who have made the rights we enjoy today possible.

This Labor Day there's much to celebrate. Solidarity with co-workers in a union makes genuine impact on the lives of working families. Workers in labor unions make 18% more in wages than our nonunion counterparts and are more likely to have healthcare benefits. They work in safer workplaces and have more job security-even and especially in moments of economic crisis. Life is simply better in a union.

At the New Jersey AFL-CIO, we're proud to celebrate all the working men and women in our state. It is thanks to their efforts and achievements that New Jersey is at the very heart of the national labor movement.

We have stood with New Jersey's workers from every sector of the labor movement on the issues that matter most to them, working with legislators to promote the adoption of federal and state laws. In the last year, we walked the picket lines with nurses, electrical workers, educators, building trades and autoworkers. We also represented working families on issues including unemployment insurance for striking workers, paid family and sick leave, the prevailing wage, and ground-breaking legislation for cannabis workers, advocating for labor peace agreements. Committed to continuously updating our state's transportation infrastructure to respond to the needs of working families, we supported New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund, to ensure that we continue to attract business to New Jersey and keep our state competitive. However, as the November election approaches, the improvements that we have made on behalf of all workers are on the line.

With just 67 days left until one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, we must all come together to ensure that the voice of labor is heard. The most effective way to protect our right to organize, our retirement security, and our access to quality affordable healthcare, is to vote for the AFL-CIO's endorsed candidates. We must look to our seasoned labor leaders who have vital on the ground experience and have a first-hand understanding of the issues that impact working families today.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have union member's backs. They understand that when unions are strong, America is strong. They'll fight for working people every single day. Now it is our turn to stand with them through the 67 days that we have left until the November Election.

As we all know, an uphill battle faces us. However, In the labor movement, we are ready. We take pride in hard work, knowing that our efforts are well worth it. Standing together to fight for the rights of workers in every sector is what we do every single day. If we take swift action to get out the vote, our efforts will pay off on Election Day. Between now and the election, we must staff the phones, organize labor walks, reach voters through the mail, and speak to our members, encouraging each of them to vote.

This Labor Day, we will celebrate how far we've the New Jersey labor movement has come, while we look forward to a union strong future. To protect our rights, we must ensure union members have a seat at the table, at every level of government.

We wish you a restful and reflective Labor Day this weekend, as we prepare to stand together in the upcoming election for the sake of all working people.

You can read President Charles Wowkanech's full message as published in Insider NJ here.

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