In the wake of a very divisive election cycle, it's important that we have a conversation about how to bring people together on common issues and move forward toward solutions that benefit as many Americans as possible. And it's important that working people be a part of that conversation.

One of the keys to having a productive conversation is to make sure everyone is working from the same set of definitions and using words the same way. For instance, if I say the word "blue" and I intend it to mean this:

State federations of the AFL-CIO react to the 2016 election. Here are some highlights:

Florida AFL-CIO:

Workers want fairness in the workplace, in our trade policies and in our elected officials. Labor remains the last line of the defense for workers to achieve that fairness, and that fight does not end at the ballot box. Candidates from all parties promised they would help working families during this election cycle. The Florida AFL-CIO looks forward to working with all elected officials from any party to make that happen and will continue to hold them accountable when they don’t.

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

Nevada's working families made history. We successfully completed the largest election field program that Nevada labor has ever attempted. With more than half a million door knocks, we helped to elect our nation’s first Latina senator and our state’s first Latino congressman. We will send a pro-working family representative to Congress in CD-3, as well as send pro-worker majorities to both chambers of the Nevada Legislature in 2017.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO:

We congratulate Secretary Clinton on a hard-fought campaign and thank her for an unwavering commitment to the people of this nation. Her contributions as an activist, elected official and role model for women have undoubtedly changed our nation for the better and inspired generations of Americans to realize their dreams. Despite falling short in our goal to elect Secretary Clinton, we cannot relent in our fight to advance workers’ rights, civil rights and women’s rights, as well as invest in our future and achieve an economy that works for all.

Read the rest.

North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

We congratulate Roy Cooper on winning a tough election. Governor-elect Cooper will give North Carolina fresh leadership in difficult times, and we look forward to working with him to build a better future for working people.

Read the rest.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:

Throughout this election, the political themes of creating or bringing back jobs, unfair trade, rebuilding infrastructure, and providing better quality care for children and seniors resonated with America’s working people. To achieve these goals, our work does not end at the ballot box, in fact, that is where it begins. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO pledges to work with elected officials to achieve these goals on issues where we have common ground while holding them accountable to their campaign promises.

Texas AFL-CIO:

In light of the looming sea change in the federal government, the Texas AFL-CIO lays down this marker: You can be damn sure the Texas union movement will continue to fight for the rights of working people. But in these times, that is not enough. We will keep building a broader, bolder, more inclusive labor movement that respects all workers. We will fight alongside allies to protect workers who are immigrants, religious minorities, women, people of color, people with disabilities and LGBTQ members whenever they come under attack.

Read the rest.

Today, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement on the results of the 2016 presidential election:

Donald Trump has been elected president. America is a democratic nation, and the voters have spoken.

The AFL-CIO accepts the outcome of this election and offers our congratulations to President-elect Trump.

More than anything, this election is an indictment of politics as usual.

For too long, the political elites have embraced economic policies that hold down wages, increase inequality, diminish opportunity and ship American jobs overseas. Voters in both the primary and general election have delivered a clear message: enough.

The President-elect made promises in this campaign—on trade, on restoring manufacturing, on reviving our communities. We will work to make many of those promises a reality. If he is willing to work with us, consistent with our values, we are ready to work with him.

But make no mistake, we can never back down from our values. The presence of racism, misogyny and anti-immigrant appeals caused damage in this campaign and we must all try to repair it with inclusion, decency and honesty.

As we move forward, the labor movement is committed to defending our American democracy. Ultimately, the fundamental duty of America’s President, symbolized by swearing to uphold our Constitution, is to protect and preserve our democracy and the institutions that make it real. We hope to work with President-elect Trump to help him carry out this solemn responsibility. Regardless, America’s labor movement will protect our democracy and safeguard the most vulnerable among us.

This election is a statement about our broken economic and political rules. Therefore, the work of the labor movement continues with fresh urgency. The change voters cried out for in this campaign can be found by standing together in unions. The election is over. But we are more committed than ever to helping working people win a voice on the job and in our democracy.

We will never stop striving to represent everyone, fighting for basic human dignity, expanding our diversity and growing our ranks to give working people a strong, united voice.