Video: At Richmond Rally, Sen. Bernie Sanders Praises Labor Activist “Heroes and Heroines,” Declares, “What you are doing goes well beyond Starbucks” and “Democracy is having a say on the job!”

See below for video of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ speech yesterday in Richmond, where he “spoke at the National…as part of a celebration for area Starbucks workers after five Metro Richmond locations became the first in Virginia to unionize.” As Sen. Sanders said:

• “…you are extraordinary American heroes and heroines. You are in the process, along with many others throughout this country, of standing up for justice, standing up for dignity, and helping to revitalize the trade union movement in this country, which will give workers a seat at the table.”
• “How extraordinary it is that in the last couple months, 28 Starbucks coffee shops have successfully organized, including 7 here in Virginia. Who knew, Virginia!…this movement is spreading like wildfire all across the country, with over 200 shops ready to vote in the next couple months.”
• “The owner of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, became nearly $1 billion richer during the pandemic…And what this movement that you are helping to lead is about is to say that we ARE going to have an economy that works for all, not just Howard Schultz and our billionaires.”
• “Starbucks calls their workers partners. Well, if you consider employees partners, you don’t rig their efforts to form a union.”
• “What a union is about…it’s about dignity...The way we are heard is through collective bargaining.”
• “It is about power. It is about whether they have the right to do anything they want...It is time…not only at Starbucks but all over this country, that working people stand up and say we are not machines, we are not robots, we are human beings.”
• “And what these guys, whether it’s Jeff Bezos of Amazon or Schultz of Starbucks, what they are worried about is not just the money, that’s important. They are worried that all over this country, because of your efforts, people are going to stand up and say, enough is enough.”
• “Where we are right now…we’re at a strange moment in American history…But the struggle right now is what kind of democracy we have in this country. And a democracy, brothers and sisters, is more than voting every 2 years or every 4 years…Democracy is having a say on the job!”
• “What you are doing goes well beyond Starbucks…What you are doing is helping to spark a political revolution in this country.”