Why Voting Rights Makes Us Stronger

AFSCME President Lee Saunders recently said “labor rights and voting rights are deeply interconnected.”  One of the most important ways we in the union movement make our case is to elect leaders who are for working people and engage in the fight to pass policies that support working families.  Historically, we have championed efforts to expand the franchise and ensure voting right are extended to all Americans.  The current push for mail-in ballots is the most recent example of a sound way to make voting accessible to more voters; particularly in the current pandemic when so many people share concerns about traveling to the polls.

Frederick Douglass warned us that freedom requires “constant vigilance” and this is particularly true about protecting and expanding the right to vote.  As we approach the general election in November remember the union movement can help in a number of ways from registering eligible voters to education our families and communities about key issues.

Using union strength to protect the right to vote is a win for all of us.