Union: Election is a Rebuke of Anti-Worker Agenda
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2018
Pittsburgh—SEIU Pennsylvania, which represents 80,000 nurses, school workers, cleaners, social service workers, home care workers and more—today celebrated Conor Lamb’s stunning upset victory for Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional district.
“Conor Lamb’s victory proves that working people refuse to accept a country where their workers’ rights are trampled and their Medicare and Social Security are privatized to the highest bidder,” said Gabe Morgan, 32BJ SEIU Vice President for PA. “Conor Lamb will help stem the anti-worker tide that threatens to destroy the middle class once and for all.”
With labor issues, including the “right to work” Janus Supreme Court case at the forefront of the election, union members resoundingly rejected Rick Saccone’s anti-worker agenda. Union members, representing 1 out of 4 voters in the 18th district, made a clear difference at the polls.
“Healthcare workers turned out in force to help Conor Lamb reach victory because he’s committed to protecting their union rights to improve job and patient care standards,” said Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvaniawhich represents nurses and other healthcare workers at 20 facilities across the 18th Congressional District. “Congressman Lamb will be an essential voice in Washington to fight against attacks on Medicaid and Medicare for thousands of working Pennsylvanians in Southwestern PA.”
Since SEIU PA members endorsed Lamb in January, hundreds of union members have volunteered, knocked on tens of thousands of doors and made thousands of phone calls to voters.
“Conor Lamb won because he stands in stark contrast to corporate-backed, anti-worker politicians like Rick Saccone,” saidSteve Catanese, President of SEIU Local 668. “Today was about working people of all backgrounds and beliefs voting for a political leader who will wake up every day thinking about how to improve their lives.”
The Conor Lamb victory comes just one week after West Virginia teachers led an historic strike resulting in a 5% wage increase for all public workers, in the middle of a red state that went 65% for Trump.
“The West Virginia teachers and the Conor Lamb victory show that working people are rejecting attacks on unions and the politicians who are behind them,” added Morgan.
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