Newsroom —

Bright new day dawns for workers as Biden, Harris take oaths

A new era for working families began today as Joseph R. Biden Jr. became president of the United States of America and Kamala D. Harris made history as the first woman and first person of color to become vice president. Their advocacy for the Labor Movement’s Workers First Agenda and their pledge to unify this deeply divided nation are what all Americans need now.

“President Biden is a longtime supporter of labor unions and our union values,” New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said. “His aggressive plans for his first 10 days will benefit workers in New Jersey and around the country. By identifying the crises plaguing America – COVID-19, the pandemic recession, and a lack of social and economic justice – our new president is taking immediate action to restore our physical, economic and moral health.”

“This new administration will provide this country with real leadership and bring back the dignity we associate with the White House,” New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan said. “We pledge to do everything we can to support this new administration.”

The Biden administration’s commitment to an additional $1.9 trillion stimulus package that includes direct payments to families and major infrastructure projects, among other things, will bring swift relief to struggling families in the short term and good union jobs in every sector of labor in the long term. Moreover, the new president’s choice of a card-carrying union member to be labor secretary reinforces our belief that Biden honors the importance of workers and will ensure that workplace health and safety standards protect working Americans after years of disrespect.

“We look forward to working with the Biden administration and our allies in the new Congress as we press for enactment of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act – the PRO Act – and guarantee that our cherished labor values of solidarity and unity are preserved and honored,” President Wowkanech concluded.