Retirees Have Reason to Celebrate
Happy Holidays, SOAR members!
To close out 2023, I wanted to celebrate two important pro-worker, pro-retiree victories resulting from the Tuesday, November 7 elections.
In Kentucky, our union rallied around Governor Andy Beshear’s successful reelection campaign.
We communicated with union voters in their communities and worksites, highlighting Governor Beshear’s long list of pro-worker accomplishments, including record-low unemployment, double-digit wage growth, and rapid job creation in manufacturing, construction, and more.
Similarly, in Virginia, enough USW-endorsed candidates were victorious in their campaigns to be elected to the state House of Delegates that we were able to secure a pro-worker majority within both chambers of the state legislature. The outcome of this election is a massive victory in a state that will be critical in next year’s Presidential and Congressional elections.
Additionally, according to an AFL-CIO post-election synopsis of the states that held elections on November 7, nearly 75% of union-endorsed candidates were victorious on Election Day. Among them were thousands of union members, including dozens of Steelworkers, who were elected to public office for the first time.
In addition to our continued momentum throughout 2023, the labor movement exceeded expectations during the 2022 midterm elections, securing pro-worker, pro-retiree majorities in a number of key states while defending some of our strongest Congressional allies.
Looking forward to 2024, union workers and retirees have a lot to be optimistic about as we push forward in our efforts to elect lawmakers who will fight to protect our interests in all of the following elected offices that will appear on our ballot next year:
- Thirteen state and territorial governors,
- Thousands of state and local elections across the United States,
- At least ten states’ attorney general elections,
- Executive and judicial offices in dozens of states,
- Mayoral and other local elections in towns and cities everywhere,
- All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives,
- At least 34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate; and, of course,
- President of the United States.
But don’t forget ballot initiatives! We all know that ballot initiatives can impact everyday Americans’ lives, including our rights as workers and retirees.
Stay engaged! Rest up during the holidays! And get ready for our continued work to build a stronger future for ourselves and all Americans in 2024!