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NTEU’s virtual Legislative Conference kicked off with messages of strong support for federal employees and the union.
Here is what they had to say during today’s opening session:
“There is importance in carrying a union card, and the American public is seeing the value in being pro-union. When we have stronger unions, we have a strong middle class. It keeps our country moving forward.”
-Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio
“NTEU members have helped execute critical responses to the pandemic. So many Americans would not have weathered the storm of this pandemic without your effort to protect their physical and financial well-being.”
-House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina
“As a former law enforcement officer and chief of police, I know firsthand how important our public servants are, and I know how important the NTEU is as a champion for our federal workforce.”
-Rep. Val Demings of Florida
“Your hard work for the American people does not go unnoticed and since entering Congress I have been giving my full support to legislation that supports our entrusted federal employees.”
-Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
“As a proud union member, I know America is stronger when people earn fair wages and have dignity and rights in the workplace, and federal government workers are no exception.”
-Rep. Norma Torres of California
“We know the problems: Adequate funding for your agencies, having work schedules that make sense for you, having workplace safety in place, and being able to balance all the important things from childcare to everything else….It is important that you have a say in your workplace and fortunately your union is here to do just that.”
-Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin
“Federal employees are truly the backbone of our government. I recognize the tremendous effort made by our employees especially during COVID-19. Many frontline employees pivoted to working from home while shouldering childcare, parental and other responsibilities.”
-Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois
“So we stand with you and appreciate your work. It’s the labor unions that brought us middle class, that brought us the weekend and we have to continue fighting together for workers and consumers.”
-Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois.
Also offering a welcome to NTEU members was Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja.
“OPM and NTEU share a very common cause: We both work hard to honor and support the federal workforce every single day,” she said.
During the Legislative Conference this week, more than 350 union members from around the country will connect with their members of Congress about issues important to the federal workforce.
Learn more about our 2022 priority issues and ways you can get involved (in just a few clicks!) here.