On Labor Day 2025, with early voting starting in just 18 days, it’s important to understand that there are HUGE differences between the Democratic and Republican candidates on pretty much every issue – certainly including with regard to policies impacting workers, unions, labor, etc. For instance, see below for a press release from Democratic AG nominee Jay Jones’ campaign, in which they point out that Jason Miyares:
- “has opposed increasing the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, opposed allowing localities to recognize unions and collectively bargain, and opposed allowing state and local entities to require project labor agreements on public works projects.”
- Also, ” As Attorney General, MAGA Miyares led a coalition of AGs opposing a labor agreement with HHS and CMS and refused to protect the 300,000 workers and contractors at risk of losing their jobs due to Trump’s mass layoffs.”
As for Winsome Earle-Sears, obviously she’s a MAGA Republican, which means that she’s always going to be for the wealthiest individuals and most powerful corporations over workers, on tax policy or unions or anything else. Specifically, per Guides.vote, Earle-Sears wants to make it HARDER, not easier, for workers to organize themselves into unions.
- “[Earle-Sears is] a ‘staunch supporter‘ of Virginia’s ‘right to work’ law (where employees at a unionized business are allowed to not pay union dues), to protect ‘workers from heavy-handed union bosses.’ She opposes the PRO Act.” (note: the PRO Act is ” a proposed piece of legislation in the United States aimed at restoring and expanding workers’ rights to form unions and bargain collectively”)
Finally, John Reid has no voting record, but he does have many years as a far-right radio host, as well as working for right-wing Republicans like George Allen, who among other things pushed “to prohibit project labor agreement requirements on federal and federally assisted construction contracts, and repeal Davis-Bacon wage laws, which require that federal government construction contract workers be paid no less than the locally prevailing wages and benefits on similar project.” In stark contrast, Ghazala Hashmi – as the Virginia AFL-CIO wrote in its endorsement of her:
- “…has proudly stood with unions, supporting all of their critical legislation, and attending meetings and rallies to support union causes, including numerous rally days at the Capitol. She has joined picket lines for several unions, including recently standing in solidarity with Starbucks workers, and she’ll continue to do the same as lieutenant governor. Senator Hashmi has consistently supported collective bargaining legislation, voted to increase the minimum wage and eliminate exemptions for domestic workers and farm workers, and has repeatedly raised pay for public school teachers, earning her the Virginia Education Association’s Legislator of the Year award in 2025.”
So, bottom line: if you care about protecting and advancing the wages, working conditions, rights, etc. of labor – without harming business – then definitely make sure you vote straight-Democratic this election (and every election). If, in contrast, you want to give more power to the wealthiest and most powerful Americans, while harming working people (which is just about everyone, by the way), then by all means vote Republican (yeah….no! LOL).
|
||
|
