Suozzi and Labor Caucus Kicks Off with AFL-CIO President Trumka and AFT President Weingarten

Today, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens) along with his fellow co-chairs of the newly-formed Labor Caucus, held a kick-off event with members and special guests, including President of the AFL-CIO Richard Trumka and President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Randi Weingarten. Photos from the kick-off event are found here.

Suozzi, a lifelong champion of working families and labor unions, was instrumental in the conception and formation of the Labor Caucus, which has now joined forces with the existing Labor and Working Families Caucus to advance the needs of the labor movement, combat the issues facing working families, and connect legislators directly with unions and union leaders. The formation of the Labor Caucus was announced in November and now has 68 members. 

Suozzi’s fellow co-chairs of the Labor Caucus include Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Linda Sánchez (D-CA).

“Over the past several decades the United States has created enormous wealth but working men and women have been left behind with stagnant wages. Climate change, immigration, civil rights, trade, economic growth and every other issue must be analyzed through a pro-labor perspective,” said Suozzi. “The American Dream, where hard work is rewarded with wages sufficient to guarantee a home, health insurance, children’s education and retirement security, is no longer in reach for too many. We must reclaim the American Dream and that starts with a pro-labor, pro-growth agenda. Our Labor Caucus will work with the Biden Administration, our diverse labor unions, and other caucuses and committees of jurisdictions to advocate for a new, robust, middle class and all those that aspire to be part of it.”

“Every American should have a voice in their workplace to advocate for fair wages and safe working conditions, and the Labor Caucus will advance the cause of working families by being their voice in Congress,” the Labor Caucus Co-Chairs said in a joint statement. “We thank AFL-CIO President Trumka and AFT President Weingarten for their commitment to workers and understanding that America succeeds when workers succeed. The Labor Caucus is ready to work with the labor movement and the Biden-Harris Administration to strengthen unions, fight for pandemic relief and build back a better, brighter future for America’s workers.” 

"I want to applaud the Labor Caucus Co-chairs. You’ve united 75 members of Congress together in this Labor Caucus, which sends a strong signal to those of us working every day to grow the labor movement," said AFL-CIO President Trumka. "We need a Workers First Agenda that starts with passing the PRO Act for worker empowerment, worker safety, good union jobs, racial justice and economic security."

“I want to thank Representatives Suozzi, Norcross, Dingell, Horsford, Pocan and Sánchez for all that they have done to bring together a dynamic Labor Caucus to seize the moment and champion a legislative agenda that puts power and prosperity in the hands of working people,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “In this time of deep national crisis, there’s no more essential task than protecting democracy and delivering the relief and tools for workers to thrive. The path to a better America runs through the labor movement, as the largest organized force for equality and justice. With this united caucus in place, we can repair our frayed national fabric and place workers