To labor advocates, Minnesota is considered one of the best places in America to be a worker. Last year, the Democratic legislature passed and Gov. Walz signed a sweeping package of pro-labor laws.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks with union organizers before they march on businesses in downtown Minneapolis on October 14, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minn.Labor advocates could not be happier about Vice President Kamala Harris' pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers noted that Walz, a former teacher, understands the struggles of working people. The AFL-CIO hailed the governor as a principled fighter and labor champion.
There are many reasons for this warm and enthusiastic embrace, much of it tied to Walz's background as a former union member and an unabashed supporter of worker rights. Here are a few highlights:The National Education Association, the largest labor union in the U.S. with 3 million members, wasted no time claiming Gov. Walz as one of their own.
The United Auto Workers praised Walz for showing up at a picket line alongside striking autoworkers last fall, while the American Federation of Teachers, who also claimed Walz as a former member, cited his work expanding collective bargaining rights for educators and others.Minnesota is also one of eight states that has banned companies from forcing their workers to attend so-called captive audience meetings, where they try to dissuade workers from unionizing.
These new laws are especially beneficial for vulnerable low wage workers, who have very few benefits. More than 20% of private sector workers don't have paid sick days, according to the Labor Department, partly because there's no federal law requiring employers to provide their workers with sick leave.
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