OPINION: Working people deserve a fair shot

By TRUDY BUSCH VALENTINE

Across Missouri, too many working families are being kept up at night worrying about rising prices of gas and groceries. Wages are not keeping up, and Missourians have been working too hard just to stay afloat.

That is why I am committed to doing everything I can in the U.S. Senate to bring economic stability to Missouri families. The current rules are manipulated against working families.

‘A FAIR SHOT’
We have to bring Labor laws up to date to give working people a fair shot.

As Missouri’s next senator, I will do just that by voting yes on the PRO Act. The PRO Act will make it easier for working people to form or join a union, and it will protect workers by prohibiting employers from retaliating against them for organizing. It will help fix the misclassification of workers.

By doing so, it will ensure that workers receive the benefits they are entitled to as workers rather than being classified as independent contractors. Lastly, the PRO Act will make so-called “right-to-work” laws illegal once and for all.

UNIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Let’s be clear. We have all benefited from the contributions of Organized Labor.

Labor unions have certainly made a difference in my life. My dad built Anheuser-Busch into the largest brewery in the world, working hand in hand with Labor – not on the backs of workers.

We paid wages that workers could raise a family on. I know that this is not the case for all businesses, many of which try to keep unions from developing.

I believe that a strong Labor Movement helps all of us. Unions have spearheaded safe working conditions, fair pay for an honest day’s work, workplace equality for women and minorities, and other protections for all workers.

Meeting with workers all over the state has been a highlight for me on the campaign trail. I have had countless conversations with union members, and I continue to learn a lot. Each union faces its own unique challenges, and I look forward to having more of these discussions.

MISSOURI CAN DO BETTER
Like you, I know Missouri can do better.

It will be a team effort to get our state where it needs to be, and workers are at the heart of it.

It is past time that leaders in the federal government pass legislation that broadens the protections of unions and affirms the dignity of workers.

(Trudy Busch Valentine is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate to fill the seat of retiring Senator Roy Blunt. Other announced Democratic candidates are Spencer Toder, Gena Ross, Louis Rolen, Tim Shepard, Jewel Kelly, Dr. MD Rabbi Alam and Lucas Kunce. The Missouri AFL-CIO has not yet made an endorsement in this race.)