AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond's remarks as prepared for the Philadelphia Labor Council, AFL-CIO COPE Conference:
Thank you, Pat (Eiding), for that warm introduction, and for years of friendship.
And I’d like to thank you and Jim (Gardler) and Ken (Washington) and the entire team at the Philadelphia Labor Council for your commitment and dedication to the labor movement and working families.
The same goes for the secretary-treasurer of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO…a fellow S-T and a fellow Steelworker, brother Frank Snyder. Your grit and determination has made the labor movement stronger…in this great commonwealth of ours and across the country.
And I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the vision and leadership of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale. Rick, as we all know, is retiring in March. And as we all know, Pennsylvania’s working families have had no better advocate than Rick.
And our democracy has had no better champion. We saw that in 2020 as the votes from the mail-in ballots still needed to be counted. Rick kept making the point that voters decide the outcome of elections. Not the courts. Not political appointees. But the voters. And Pennsylvania’s voters made their voices heard in record numbers. And
Rick made sure the democratic processes we hold as sacred in this country…the right to a free and fair election…were honored.
It has been an honor to work with you, Rick…as a brother…as a friend. And I wish you a happy, healthy and long retirement.
[Pause]
As you all know, in August of last year, our labor movement suffered a huge loss with the untimely death of Rich Trumka. Rich and I were personal friends for over 25 years. And I know he was a personal friend to many of you too.
Rich was Pennsylvania to the core. He was born here. Raised here. Worked the mines here. And earned his degrees here. He loved this commonwealth. He loved this labor movement.
He had faith in the future. And this labor council…this state federation…provided the greatest source of his optimism.
And he had faith in Liz Shuler. Liz is smart, tough and the right person to lead the American labor movement at the right time. And I am honored to serve alongside her as the secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.
[Pause]
Rich Trumka liked to say the American labor movement must be the tip of the spear in the fight against racism.
And he was right. There is no better institution in America to lead the charge.
And we need to be the tip of the spear on the urgent issues facing our nation today.
Economic justice.
Gender justice.
Voting rights and strengthening democracy.
Guaranteeing a path to citizenship for immigrants.
All of these issues are critical to making sure that working people live a dignified life both inside and outside of the workplace.
That we are able to exercise our rights AND have access to the best opportunities for ourselves and our families.
Right now, working people are fed up. The pandemic has pulled back the curtain. Workers are rejecting jobs where they risk their health and safety for a poverty wage. Workers are striking and standing up for their rights.
And young people especially are embracing unions as a vehicle to speak up at work.
There’s an energy out there. We need to capture it.
It’s critical for all of us to continue to organize...to keep building our capacity...and to keep engaging with our communities.
We need to show all working people that the labor movement is for them.
We need to do a better job connecting with women and young people and communities of color.
We are having tough conversations on race and racial justice and equality through the AFL-CIO’s Task Force on Racial Justice.
And we need to make sure our democracy empowers it too.
Right now, we are facing serious attacks on voting rights and civil rights and worker rights.
Voter suppression and gerrymandering and limiting our right to organize…these are dire issues.
The goal is the same …to sideline our voices.
We aren’t giving up on the John Lewis Freedom to Vote Act. And we are pushing the Senate to sideline the filibuster.
Some senators are making the claim that changing the rules to pass these bills is some kind of moral affront. But the moral affront is that we need to pass these bills in the first place.
We know why it’s so hard to pass voting rights. There are senators who want all the power and privilege for themselves. They want to limit our opportunity.
One of those senators is vacating his seat this year. Pat Toomey has been called a lot of things, but pro-worker isn’t one of them.
And now we have a golden opportunity to have TWO pro-union senators represent Pennsylvania’s working families.
And we will. Because the American labor movement does not quit. We don’t give up. And we are NOT giving up on November!
There is too much at stake.
We are going to send Attorney General Josh Shapiro to Harrisburg…
And we are going to flip the state senate and legislature.
Now look, I have called Pennsylvania home for more than 20 years now. And one thing I have learned is that the
Pennsylvania labor movement knows how to mobilize and engage its members.
We saw it in 2020 during one of the most challenging times in our nation’s history.
And we’re going to see it again this year.
All eyes will be on Philadelphia.
And the work of the Philadelphia labor council is essential. You are a force for change…for working people…for your communities.
The national AFL-CIO will make sure you have the resources you need to be a force for change…for working people…for your communities.
So we can elect pro-worker candidates up and down the ballot…and pass the legislation and policies that matter to working people.
We know elections have consequences.
If you need an example, just look at the infrastructure bill President Biden signed into law. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs...good, life-changing union jobs…in the Mid-Atlantic and across the country.
And you helped make this happen.
You talked to your members and elected officials.
You campaigned and mobilized and got out the vote in 2020 so that we have a democratic majority in Congress and the most pro-union administration in our country’s history.
That is how we have these investments workers have been demanding for so long.
This bill strengthens our supply chains...and Buy America rules to help stop the outsourcing of good union jobs.
It connects prevailing wages and high labor standards to the jobs created, and I know this labor council will make sure those commitments are honored.
Our work isn’t done. We need to keep pushing for the Build Back Better Act.
The bill includes a key piece of the PRO Act so union-busting employers who violate our right to organize will be hit with real penalties.
It cracks down on tax loopholes so corporations and the wealthy finally will pay a little more of their fair share.
It makes huge investments in child care and elder care so more working families can get back to work.
Major energy investments...more infrastructure investments…
This bill is an investment in working people and the long-term health of our economy.
We have an opportunity to build a better future for our children and our grandchildren.
And we cannot let it pass us by.
Make sure your members see you and hear you.
Remind them that elections have consequences.
Remind them who delivered for working people and our economy as we head toward 2022.
And send leaders to Harrisburg and Washington who have the compassion and courage working people need and deserve.
Remind them that there’s nothing we can’t do when we stand together.
We are part of a powerful movement at a critical time.
Let’s flex our muscle and build a Philadelphia…a Pennsylvania…and an America that works for all working people.
Let’s keep going. Thank you.