SEIU’s 2 million members across the country – and thousands of members in Washington State – did monumental work in this election, talking to more than 7 million voters. Those conversations weren’t just about one vote, they were about the world we’re determined to build together. Our shared future is one rooted in joy and optimism, where we have Unions for All so that workers can share in the nation’s prosperity.
Here in Washington, SEIU 925 members knocked over 10,000 doors and called over 25,000 voters. More than 200 SEIU 925 members got involved in this election, from interviewing candidates to registering new voters. We endorsed and elected a new Governor and a new Attorney General who will fight for the rights of all workers in Washington. And our union successfully defeated three billionaire-backed initiatives that would have made our tax code more regressive, including one that would have cut funding for education and child care.
We are putting corporations, billionaires, and extremist politicians on notice – we see you, we know just what you’re trying to do, and we won’t back down. As union members, we know what it’s like to face down bullies. We know how to keep going, to care for each other, to face down systems built to keep us out of power and divided. We will fight back by organizing, mobilizing, and winning worker power. We will not allow anyone to take away our fundamental rights and freedoms. Hear us: when you attack just one of us, you’re attacking every worker who makes our communities, our economy, and our nation strong.
A special shout out to members who traveled to other states or who took time off from their jobs to be part of this election cycle. Our work is not yet done: our schools are still not amply funded, child care providers do not yet receive wages in line with their critical work, and too many workers still don’t have a union. As long as our union stays strong through conversations one on one, and through actions that build our movement, we’ll keep working.