AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka met Wednesday with members of the House Blue Collar Caucus to talk about ways to work together to advance policies that lead to greater prosperity for working people.
Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) and Marc Veasey (D-Texas) formed the caucus in December to provide direct attention to the economic hardships and anxiety felt by working-class Americans.
Trumka said Democrats must continue to fight back against policies designed specifically to help the rich at the expense of working Americans. He added that Democrats should push for a more progressive tax structure and use the money raised to invest in jobs, health care and infrastructure.
Caucus members also discussed ways to strike the right balance between jobs and the environment. Trumka made clear that this choice is not an “either/or” and that we can both create a thriving economy and protect the environment.
Finally, the caucus sought advice on how to effectively build an economic message and platform that champions working people, not Wall Street and corporate interests. Trumka advised the members to always think about what working Americans are discussing around their kitchen tables—issues such as health care, education and wages—and focus their attention on that.
