Brothers and sisters, it’s good to have so many seasoned labor leaders and activists in our nation’s capital. Seasoned, how do you like that word? My seasoning is salt and pepper. More salt than pepper. But if you look hard, you’ll still find some pepper.
Seriously, though, it is good to have all of you in Washington. I know you’ve gathered from across the country, and I know you’ve been doing important work back in your home states, essential work. You’ve been growing the Alliance for Retired Americans. You’re on the move. You’re chartered in, what is it? 36 states? That’s powerful. And you’ve stood up strong for our vision of a world where work is rewarded fairly, for a nation built on broadly shared prosperity, for a Raising Wages economy that builds better lives for all of us, not just the chosen few.
Together, in this room, we have a lot of union experience. You know how important it is for working men and women to stand together, not just in the big election years and during contract fights, but day in and day out. You’ve done the hard work. You’ve made your unions work, and your communities stronger.
It is so important for us, as we turn our entire country toward the core values of unionism, that you and your members continue to lead the way. You do it when you turn out for rallies in your hometown. You do it when you volunteer at a phone bank. You do it when you’re active in your labor councils and federations of labor.
This is how we pass along generational knowledge. This is how you show younger members and community allies that our unions lift up all working people. Not just some. All.
We stand with carwash workers and taxi drivers, with domestic workers and retail workers, as well as factory workers, office workers, airline pilots and nurses. And whenever one group of workers is down, we are all there to help them up, because we are all truly connected.
Raising wages is how we lift up our families and our communities. And raising wages will kick-start the greatest engine of economic growth the world has ever seen, a well-paid American workforce!
In one day this spring, one 24-hour period, Communication Workers and Electrical Workers in New England won raises, and Communication Workers in Brooklyn won a first contract with strong wage increases, and over the course of a few short weeks, 2 million non-union workers won raises from Walmart and a half-dozen national retailers. These wins came through activism and a collective voice. That’s big. That’s real. When IKEA raised wages across the board, the results were so good they raised pay again! Those are wins!
About those wage wins, I like to say, if some is good, more is better!
We want more! We want better! We want raising wages!
Listen, I appreciate the hard work you’ve done fighting Fast Track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership these past months. I know you’ll keep fighting.
We’re done with these damn bad trade deals full of corporate entitlements. They’ve been killing jobs and weakening America for far too long.
The American people don’t like bad trade, but some of the politicians on Capitol Hill aren’t listening. Your voice on this issue is powerful, and when we fight TPP we’re building power. You are building power. It doesn’t depend on winning or losing a vote in the Senate. We’re building very real, permanent power for a new America, and we’re not stopping.
So I appreciate all that you’ve done. You’ve stood strong to raise the minimum wage and to fight for affordable prescription drugs for seniors. You’re ready to protect Medicare from the voucherizing Rep. Paul Ryan. He’s so bad he’s created a new word! Voucherizing! You’ve raised your voices to strengthen, not simply defend, but strengthen Social Security. And let me be clear about this, crystal clear, when I say strengthen Social Security, I mean with money, so it can pay out more benefits longer.
When you take your ideas to Capitol Hill on Thursday, you’ll be telling the politicians there that we intend to hold them accountable for the votes they take, and the decisions they make.
We’re watching, and we vote.
And if anyone asks you why retirees want to raise the minimum wage, tell them some seniors are working for minimum wage today, because they can’t afford not to. Tell them raising wages will increase opportunity for workers of all ages. With higher wages, those workers will pay more taxes, which will improve the bottom line of our local, state and federal governments. Tell them raising wages will mean more revenue for Social Security, and better benefits for those workers when they retire.
Tell them raising wages works. It’ll build America up.
This is how we rise, and it’s way past time for us to rise again, and we’ll bring with us all the workers, all the families, and all who believe in the American Dream!
You’ve got a heck of a line-up for your conference, Elizabeth Warren and Nancy Pelosi, along with some of our other genuine champions.
That’s great.
We’re part of a powerful movement at a historic moment, and in your retirement you’re on the front lines. When you go back home, you’ll be better prepared with what you gain here, to push our movement forward.
And for that we all say, thank you.
Our extreme right-wing political opponents and corporate CEOs will challenge us at every turn.
But nobody and nothing can match the breadth and scope of the American labor movement, when we unite with allies and partners, when we stand together with those who share our vision and our values.
This is our day, our time, our rights, our voice, our power, our country, and we will do better. Together.
So declare with me today that we’ll march for it. We’ll fight for it. We’ll organize for it and mobilize for it. We’ll keep building and winning, winning a better future for us and for our kids, and their kids. Together today. Together tomorrow. Together for as long as it takes to win a country that works for all workers!
Thank you! God bless you, and the work you do!
