Why I Joined the Labor Movement

For years I thought of the labor movement as merely "Big Labor," yet another interest group that lobbies elected leaders to gain favors at the expense of the majority. Years in conservative politics established firmly in my mind that to be pro-union or pro-labor was to adhere to a watered down version of socialism. Indeed, "union thugs" and other ridiculous pejoratives were all part of marginalizing the labor movement as anti-capitalist, anti-growth, and anti-liberty.

But somewhere along the line, the catchphrases and political posturing lost their basis in reality. From the bailouts of Wall Street in 2008 to the debate over health care reform to the calls for reducing vital support for working families in order to balance the budget, an alarming trend has emerged: Those who work the hardest are the ones being asked to sacrifice the most. Perhaps even more illuminating, those who have been the victims of failed policy priorities -- namely, the middle class -- are now being forced to be the victims of policy adjustments.

It's hard to spend years fighting for lower unemployment and a stronger economy as I have and ignore all of those facts. And part of my epiphany is that these are not just facts to be acknowledged; they are components of a broader, disturbing trend in America that requires action, which in my case requires rethinking the positions that have become so entrenched in my worldview.

This means recognizing as myths the claims that often repeated about the labor movement's priorities. Health care reform isn't about socialism; it's about making sure miners and rural workers can have peace of mind that they won't be left behind. Stronger workplace standards are not a means of destroying businesses; they are put in place to protect the workers who allow the businesses to operate in the first place. Collective bargaining rights, pensions, and family benefits are not mere luxuries; they are the only means available to public employees and low-wage workers -- whose needs all too often get ignored -- to guarantee an acceptable standard of living for themselves and their families.

The labor movement is not about rejecting capitalism or denying the benefits that a market economy can deliver. It is, however, about correcting market failures and making sure the backbone of the economy -- the middle class -- does not have its interests pushed aside. It's the never-ending fight for workers' livelihoods, for improving workplace safety, and for ensuring that future generations can have a sustainable working life.

It is about reallocating our priorities to focus on the working men and women, to make sure our policies are designed to improve their lives and protect the gains they have made over the past century.

Paul Wellstone once said that politics isn't about winning, but about improving people's lives. Simply put, the people whose lives are most in need of improving are the working men and women throughout the country. And placing our priorities on their well being will strengthen the most vital component of the American economy: middle class families.