Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond Delivers the 2024 State of the Unions Opening Statement

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you all for joining us today. Welcome to the House of Labor as we head into the long weekend…Labor Day weekend. Our weekend! The weekend labor built.

It's the time of year where we celebrate the incredible contributions of America's workers…and take stock of what workers are able to achieve when we stand shoulder to shoulder and stand up for one another.

The labor movement marched and sacrificed to end child labor. We challenged inhumane working conditions. We challenged discrimination and harassment. We created safety standards. We transformed dangerous jobs into good, family-sustaining careers.

Industry by industry, workers in unions took on the robber barons and the corporate-backed elite. We built the American middle class.

And if you tuned into the Democratic National Convention last week, you heard President Biden say that very thing…that "Wall Street didn't build America, the middle class built America. And unions-unions-built the middle class."

President Biden has been pro-worker and pro-union from the very start. He's proud to have been the first President to walk a picket line. He's proud to be called the most pro-union President in history.

And he should be proud. Because he recognizes the fact-and he said this in his speech too-"that when unions do well, we all do well."

And of course the President is absolutely right. The labor movement didn't end child labor only for workers in a union…or make workplaces safer and healthier only for workers in a union…or create the weekend only for workers in a union.

Unions lift up all workers.

When workers in unions can advocate for higher wages, safer workplaces, family leave, retirement security and other benefits through collective bargaining, those gains cascade to workers without union representation.

I believe that the labor movement is the most powerful force for progress.

And I believe the future and success of America hinges on the future and success of the labor movement.

And no hinge is bigger than the one on the door marked November 5th.

What happens in the next weeks and months will define the United States for a generation. What we value. What we stand for.

And when our children and grandchildren look back 30 or 40 years from now, they will see how close our country, our democracy, was on the brink…

And they'll see it was a united labor movement that made the difference…

How we turned back Donald Trump and JD Vance and their dangerous agenda…

And turned out for the pro-worker, pro-union champions Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The union vote is going to make the difference. And President Shuler will be getting into how we are using our infrastructure and reach this election cycle…to reach out and connect with workers…so we can elect leaders who share our values.

That's a point I want to emphasize. We're not involved in politics to just win elections. We make calls and knock on doors and talk to our members so we can build worker power and win economic progress and social justice.

We engage in electoral politics to elect leaders who understand what workers and unions and collective bargaining mean to this country…past, present and future.

Leaders who will show up for us and who will stand with us as we forge a more just and equitable society.

And the American labor movement is going to move heaven and earth to help every pro-worker candidate up and down the ballot win this November.

We're going to flip the House and keep the Senate.

We're going to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States.

And we're going to build on our progress…build on the incredible work of President Biden and his administration…and shape a future that works for all of us.

Everyone included. No one left behind.

That's our vision for the labor movement. That's our vision for America. And working people-standing together and standing up for one another-are going to make this vision a reality.

Roll the video.

[worker video rolls]

[three workers introduce themselves and give brief statements]

That was fantastic. Thank you for leading the fight. Thank you for showing us the way. Every day you and working people all across the country…are proving it is better in a union.

And that is something the president of this federation of unions knows too.

She sees it every day. She hears it. She understands. And she has the amazing ability to build consensus and the vision to chart a way forward for this inclusive, progressive labor movement we love.

It's my privilege to work with her in leading this force for good. And it is now my honor to introduce the president of the AFL-CIO, Liz Shuler.

Tags: Labor Day