Photos: UnionsForAll
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer both released statements commemorating Labor Day and outlining some policy points on the Democrats’ agenda aimed at helping working Americans.
Speaker Pelosi said the following:
“On Labor Day, our nation honors all hard-working Americans, who are the backbone of our economy, and the labor unions that empower them to reach their fullest potential. For generations, working people joining together in a union have been one of the greatest forces for progress in American history: winning the 40-hour work week, two-day weekends, workplace safety protections, collective bargaining rights and more. Indeed, the many historic victories secured by the heroes of organized labor helped forge the middle class and continue to benefit every family today.
“Democrats are proud to stand with unions, and we are leading the charge in the Congress to deliver critical benefits and protections for American workers. In March, President Biden and Congressional Democrats enacted the life-changing American Rescue Plan to secure for working families critical coronavirus relief, including the transformative Biden Child Tax Credit, and rescue the hard-earned pensions of millions of retirees. This year, the Democratic House again passed the PRO Act to enshrine the right of every worker to join a union – and we urge our colleagues in the Senate to finally enact this vital legislation.
“Moving forward, Democrats will continue to fight to enact our legislation, passed in the House with the partnership of labor, to secure equal pay for equal work and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And in partnership with labor, the Congress is hard at work advancing the President’s Build Back Better Act and the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will create millions of good-paying American jobs rebuilding our nation as well as strengthening labor protections for American workers. As our nation emerges from this crisis, Democrats will not relent in our fight to build an economy that works for everyone, so that every child may have the means to pursue their American Dream.”
Majority Leader Hoyer said the following:
“This year, as Americans celebrate Labor Day, let us reflect on the contributions that working people and organized labor have made to our economy and to our country. Those who fought for workers’ rights – and still do today – deserve great credit for making the American Dream possible for so many millions of families. After four years of an administration that was bent on undoing the hard-won victories of the workers’ rights movement, we can be thankful for a President and Congress committed protecting workers’ rights and to expanding opportunity for workers and their families.
“Since Democrats returned to the House Majority last Congress, I have been proud to bring legislation to the Floor advancing workers’ rights and making the American Dream more attainable for working families. These have included the Raise the Wage Act, the PRO Act, the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and legislation to strengthen and expand the Affordable Care Act. Earlier this year, we enacted the American Rescue Plan to put millions of Americans back to work safely, and Democrats are working hard to advance legislation in the coming weeks that will implement President Biden’s historic American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. Together, they would make transformational changes that help workers and their families afford child care, implement paid family and medical leave, and create millions of good jobs through investments in infrastructure.
“As we move ahead with these initiatives, I look forward to continuing to work closely with America’s labor unions and with workers’ advocates to ensure that all our people can access good jobs that pay well and help them attain real economic security. Thankfully, we aren’t starting from scratch, and I am grateful to the generations of activists and leaders who fought hard to secure workers’ rights in our country. That fight continues, and House Democrats will again be on the front lines to ensure that, as we strive to build back better, all of our workers in this country can Make It In America.”
