Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on President Biden’s State of the Union address:
In tonight’s State of the Union address, President Biden delivered a bold blueprint for an economy that, at long last, puts working people first. Instead of catering to the wealthy and well-connected, the President declared that workers are America’s backbone and good union jobs are the keystone of an economy that works for all.
In his first two years in office, President Biden made historic investments in infrastructure, clean energy, manufacturing and technology that will result in transformational economic opportunities not seen in generations. To this President, “Made in America” isn’t a slogan; it’s a clarion call for us to rebuild American manufacturing and bring supply chains home.
The President made clear that his focus is reshaping the economy so that working people have a fair shot of getting ahead through a good union job. He understands that workers’ ability to organize is inextricably tied to a future in which we rise together. That’s why he called for the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, so that all workers have the freedom to stand together in a union to negotiate for good pay, affordable health care and safe working conditions. And we applaud his call to ensure billionaires will no longer get a free pass to exploit loopholes that allow them to get out of paying their fair share, siphoning funds from schools, public safety and other vital social services.
The administration’s accomplishments in the last two years are just the beginning. As President Biden said tonight, it’s time to finish the job. The labor movement is organized, we are mobilized, and we are ready to ensure all workers—no matter who we are or where we’re from—have the future we and our families deserve.
Contact: Liz Vlock, 202-637-5018