Midterm Elections Matter to America’s Working Families

 For generations, America’s labor unions have fought to secure better wages, safer workplaces, affordable healthcare, retirement security, and dignity on the job. None of these gains came easily. They were won through solidarity, sacrifice, collective bargaining, and the determination of working men and women who refused to accept anything less than a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

But there is another powerful tool in the labor movement’s arsenal: THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

The 2026 midterm elections are an opportunity for working Americans to make their voices heard on the issues that affect their livelihoods, families, and futures.

      THE DECISIONS MADE IN WASHINGTON AFFECT EVERY UNION MEMBER

Some people believe midterm elections are less important than presidential elections. Nothing could be further from the truth.

On November 3, voters will elect all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 U.S. senators in regularly scheduled contests. Numerous state and local offices will also be decided.

These elected officials help shape the laws and policies that affect working families every day.

Consider what’s at stake:

Collective Bargaining Rights: Protecting the ability of workers to organize, negotiate contracts, and have a meaningful voice in their workplaces.

Prevailing Wage Laws: Maintaining wage protections that help ensure skilled workers receive fair compensation on publicly funded construction projects.

Workplace Safety: Supporting strong safety standards and effective enforcement so workers can return home safely to their families.

Social Security and Medicare: Protecting programs that millions of working Americans and retirees depend upon.

Pensions and Retirement Security: Addressing the financial security of workers who have spent their careers building America’s economy.

American Jobs: Evaluating trade, infrastructure, manufacturing, and procurement policies that affect employment opportunities for American workers.

These are not abstract political issues. They are kitchen-table issues that affect paychecks, benefits, retirement plans, and the future of the American middle class.

      THE LABOR MOVEMENT HAS NEVER BEEN GIVEN ANYTHING FOR FREE

The eight-hour workday, overtime protections, workplace safety standards, and the right to organize were achieved through decades of struggle and political action.

Union members stood on picket lines, attended meetings, negotiated contracts, and worked to elect representatives who would listen to working people’s concerns.

The lesson of labor history is clear:

Rights that took generations to win require continued vigilance to preserve.

Elections are one of the ways working people can hold public officials accountable.

                     DON’T LET SOMEONE ELSE SPEAK FOR YOU

Every election brings promises. Candidates talk about supporting American workers, creating jobs, strengthening the middle class, and protecting retirement benefits.

But promises alone are not enough.

Union members should examine candidates’ records, not simply their campaign slogans.

Have they supported collective bargaining rights? Where do they stand on prevailing wages, worker safety, pension protections, and the right to organize? Do their voting records match their public statements?

These are questions every working American deserves to have answered before entering the voting booth.

A candidate’s political party should not replace careful examination of the issues and the individual’s record.

                       UNION SOLIDARITY DOESN’T END AT THE JOB SITE

The strength of organized labor has always come from members standing together.

Solidarity means looking out for one another, sharing information, protecting hard-earned rights, and recognizing that the decisions affecting one group of workers can eventually affect many others.

Participating in elections is another opportunity to put that commitment into practice.

Whether you are an electrician, plumber, operating engineer, ironworker, teacher, firefighter, public employee, or retired union member, the policies established by elected officials can affect your economic future.

Voting is a personal decision. It is also an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of our communities and our country.

                        RETIRED UNION MEMBERS HAVE A STAKE TOO

Retirement does not mean the issues facing organized labor no longer matter.

Retirees have a direct interest in Social Security, Medicare, pension security, prescription drug costs, and the economic opportunities available to their children and grandchildren.

Many retirees spent decades helping build the labor movement. Their experience and perspective remain valuable in public discussions about the future of working families.

                              NOVEMBER 3, 2026 — MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT

The 2026 midterm elections provide an opportunity to evaluate candidates, debate the issues, and decide who should represent working Americans in government.

Learn where candidates stand. Discuss the issues with fellow members and family. Make sure your voter registration is current, know your voting options, and participate in the election.

You don’t have to agree with every member of your union on every political issue to recognize the importance of an informed and engaged membership.

The labor movement was built by people who understood that their voices mattered. Union Members prime directive should be to vote for the candidates and party that allows them to support their families with a decent living wage and health care.

                                 That principle remains just as important today.

             OUR VOICE. OUR VOTE. OUR FUTURE.  UNION PROUD. UNION STRONG.