Just the Facts: A Monthly Report on the 2020 Presidential Candidates

Spotlight on Workers’ Rights Democratic candidates stand by workers. Sen. (I-VT) believes “workplace democracy,” is achieved by eliminating “at-will employment.”1 Former VP supports United Autoworkers’ (UAW) strike against General Motors, “to demand fair wages and benefits.”2 Sen. (D-CA) vows to “empower unions,” and punish “companies that cheat their workers.”3 According to Sen. (D-MA), protecting workers “means banning states from imposing restrictions” on them,4 and Sen. (D-CO) supports making “union dues deductible.”5 Mayor (D-IN) urges GM to “do right by the workers who fuel its profits."6 Sen. (D-NJ) believes that “we must make it easier…for workers to join a union.”7 Activist and billionaire believes that the country has “a wage problem.”8 Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT) supports revising “labor laws…to expand the scope of collective bargaining,”9 and NYC Mayor ’s “21st Century Working People’s Bill of Rights” would also “end at-will employment.”10 Sen. (D-MN) opposes efforts “to weaken unions,”11 as former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) proposes a "21st Century Labor Contract," that guarantees every worker’s ability “to join a union.”12 Past HUD Secretary challenges GM to provide UAW members “fair wages” because it “can afford to do right by them.”13 Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) observes, “they’re [GM] making $35 million14…they [UAW] deserve fair wages.”15 Mostly supportive, former Rep. John Delaney (D-MD) and Rep. (D-HI) have introduced anti-worker legislation16 and supported efforts that hurt pensions.17 Entrepreneur believes universal basic income would “increase worker bargaining power.”18Best-selling author supports the right “to organize for better wages,”19 as does former Rep. (D-PA), who voted “YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing.”20 Mayor (D-FL) believes in “re-establishing the American Dream with jobs with better pay and better protections.”21 ******* Republican nominees oppose unions and worker protections. President publicly aligns himself with workers, but supports “decreased labor protections, rolled back worker safety and weakened federal unions.”22 In response to the UAW strike, he tweeted “here we go again,” but that “the UAW has been very good to me…from the standpoint of voting.”23 Former Gov. (R-MA) hired key staff from an anti-labor group,24 and describes unions as “medieval.”25 Former Reps. Joe Walsh (R-IL) accuses unions of greed when they advocate for better pay,26 and Mark Sanford (D-SC) only supports unions when “applying [it as] toxic labels to his opponent.”27

NEA Believes Workers have a right to organize and join a union without harassment from employers. When unions are strong, our communities are strong. It was labor unions that led the fight for working families, winning protections such as the 8-hour day and the 40-hour week, overtime rights, and access to health care and retirement security. Union opponents are well aware that workers in unions earn higher wages and are more likely to have employer-covered health coverage.28

1 “Bernie Sanders’s ambitious plan to double union membership, explained,” Vox, 8/21/2019 2 “2020 Democrats cheer autoworker strike as they look to top Trump in swing state Michigan,” CNBC, 9/16/2019 3 “Our America: Economic Justice,” Kamala Harris for the People, accessed 9/17/2019 4 “Warren would be the most pro-union nominee in generations,” Washington Examiner, 1/18/2019 5 “Plan to Reward Hard Work,” Bennet for America, accessed 9/17/2019 6 “2020 Democrats say they’re ‘proud’ to stand with striking UAW workers,” CBS News, 9/16/2019 7 “Cory Booker: A Waitress I Knew Made $2.13 an Hour. I Wish She Lived to Get a Fair Shake in This Economy,” Time, 9/2/2019 8 @TomSteyer, , 8/18/2019 9 “Standing with American Workers,” Bullock 2020, accessed 9/17/2019 10 “Opinion: Working People Need A New Bill of Rights. As President, I’ll Make One,” BuzzFeed News, 7/23/2019 11 “Following the Supreme Court’s Janus decision, Carper, Coons, colleagues introduce new legislation to strengthen rights of workers to join unions & bargain collectively,” Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons, 6/28/2018 12 “Beto O’Rourke rolls out new plan to protect workers’ rights,” CNN, 8/22/2019 13 “GM strike, Day 2: Nearly 50,000 workers off the job in 19 states,” CNN Business, 9/17/2019 14 “GM Strike Day 2: Ohio Representative Tim Ryan visits Toledo workers,” NBC 24 News, 9/17/2019 15 “Congressman Tim Ryan Joins UAW Workers During GM Strike in Ohio,” Office of Rep. Tim Ryan, 9/16/2019 16 “Transit union calls bill to reform Metro ‘heartless’ and ‘cruel,’” , 4/24/2017 17 “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Scorecard,” AFL-CIO, accessed 9/17/2019 18 “How Labor Won (And Then Lost),” Yang 2020, 9/4/2018 19 “The Issues: The Economy,” Marianne 2020, accessed 9/17/2019 20 “Joe Sestak on Jobs,” On the Issues, accessed 9/17/2019 21 “Here’s Where All the 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand on Key Workplace Issues—from Paid Family Leave to Minimum Wage,” Money, 5/3/2019 22 “Is Trump a Champion of Workers? His Anti-Union Policies Indicate Otherwise,” Newsweek, 9/2/2018 23 “Why Isn’t Trump Helping the Autoworkers?” The Atlantic, 9/17/2019 24 “The Right-Wing Network behind the War on Unions,” Mother Jones, 4/25/2011 25 “William Weld quotes about education,” Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 6/7/2016 26 “Duckworth Represents Special Interests in Chicago Teachers Strike,” , 9/10/2012 27 “Mark Sanford needed a big debate win but came up short,” The Washington Post, 4/30/2013 28 “How today’s unions help working people,” Economic Policy Institute, 8/24/2017