Open Letter to Candidates: Labor’s Values for a Stronger Alabama
Organized labor represents working people across every industry, every region, and every political background in our state. We are parents, veterans, taxpayers, small business customers, and community leaders. We are not a special interest. We are the people who make Alabama work.
When working people have a voice on the job and in public life, our economy is stronger, our communities are healthier, and our democracy works better.
We hope to have policy maker partners in building a state where working families can thrive.
Labor’s Value
- Labor unions are democratic, working-class organizations that give workers a voice in their workplaces and communities.
- Union workplaces are safer, pay better wages, and provide better benefits, raising standards for union and non-union workers alike.
- Union apprenticeship and training programs develop Alabama’s workforce at no cost to taxpayers.
- Businesses advocate collectively for their interests every day. Workers can and should be able to do the same.
- We ask lawmakers to stop treating labor as a political target and instead include us as partners at the table.
Corporate Accountability
- Alabama gives away billions in public subsidies with little transparency or accountability.
- Working families deserve to know how their tax dollars are used and whether corporations are keeping their promises.
- Weak enforcement of labor standards, safety protections, and child labor laws, alongside growing use of unregulated temporary staffing agencies, hurts workers and responsible businesses alike.
- Anti-union tactics, retaliation, and intimidation should have no place in our state’s economy.
Tax Reform
- Alabama’s tax system asks the most from those with the least.
- High sales taxes on groceries and essentials hit working families the hardest.
- Meanwhile, loopholes and giveaways allow the wealthiest individuals, large out-of-state landowners, and corporations to avoid paying their fair share.
- A fair tax system is essential for affordability and economic stability for working people.
Public Services
- An upside-down tax system leads to underfunded public services that working families rely on.
- Strong public education, childcare, healthcare, housing, and transit systems make it possible for people to work and raise families.
- Investing in public goods is not charity, it is how a functional economy operates and grows from the bottom-up.
Solidarity
- Our members are diverse in background, race, industry, and political belief but united by the shared experience of work.
- Efforts to divide working people along cultural or racial lines only weaken our state.
- An injury to one is an injury to all. Raising standards for the most vulnerable lifts conditions for everyone and strengthens the entire working class.
- We seek a state where dignity, fairness, and opportunity are available to all working families.
Our Invitation to Lawmakers and Candidates
We hope to build relationships and open the door to real dialogue.
We ask you to recognize organized labor as vital partners in the economic and civic life of our state, not political punching bags.
We stand ready to work with any lawmaker who shares the goal of a stronger Alabama for working families.
How Candidates Can Engage With Working People
Supporting working families doesn’t have to start with a vote on legislation. Candidates can show their commitment to working people in simple, meaningful ways throughout their campaigns.
Meet with local union leaders and rank-and-file members to learn directly about the issues workers face in your community. Many unions regularly hold membership meetings or events where candidates are welcome to introduce themselves and listen.
Show up when working people are fighting for fairness. Whether it’s a picket line, a rally, or a public meeting about workplace conditions, your presence sends a powerful message that you stand with the people who keep Alabama running.
Commit to supporting good union jobs in your campaign operations. Candidates can choose to print campaign materials at union print shops, hire union labor for events when possible, and respect workers’ rights to organize.
Respect that as democratic organizations, each labor organization has its own jurisdiction and process to navigate when it comes to electoral engagement.
Most importantly, build relationships with working people that last beyond election season. Organized labor values long-term partnerships rooted in respect, honesty, and a shared commitment to improving life for working families.
Alabama lags behind much of the country on key measures of quality of life. Changing that will require policymakers willing to stand with everyday people struggling to make ends meet, not just powerful donors and corporate interests.
We stand ready to work with any candidate who believes that working people deserve a stronger voice in shaping the future of our state.