Why Labor Can’t Avoid Politics, and Never Should
“How come the union is involved in politics?”
It’s a question many labor leaders hear from members, from critics, even from allies who think unions should “just focus on the workplace.” But that question rests on a false assumption that politics and work are somehow separate worlds. They’re not. They never have been.
Labor unions were formed to secure fair wages, safe conditions, and a reasonable work-life balance. But every one of those goals is shaped, expanded, or restricted by political decisions. The roads we drive on, the water we drink on our breaks, the air we breathe on the job site, and the food that fuels us through a long shift are all regulated by policy. Labor is the only movement fighting in the halls of Congress and Parliament to secure access to healthcare and guarantee a dignified retirement for workers. That’s politics, whether we like the word or not.
When Policy Fails, Workers Pay the Price
Take transportation. Workers, our ATU members, and passengers are the first to feel it when communities lose access to reliable public transit funding. Missed shifts. Longer commutes. Fewer job opportunities. In my home state of Colorado, cuts and delays in transportation funding didn’t just slow projects. They disrupted lives. Those decisions weren’t made in a vacuum. They were political choices driven by agendas, priorities, and power.
Pretending unions should keep quiet while politicians decide whether workers can physically get to their jobs misunderstands what labor activism is about. Fighting for working people doesn’t stop at the workplace. It extends to where those decisions are made.
Immigration Is a Labor Issue
Immigration is another area where politics and labor are inseparable. Immigrant workers are part of the working class. They build our infrastructure, care for our families, harvest our food, and keep entire industries running. Policies that exploit, criminalize, or silence them weaken all workers by driving down standards and wages.
A labor movement that ignores immigration policy ignores reality. Standing up for immigrant workers isn’t political posturing. It’s a necessity for a just labor movement.
Women Have Always Led the Fight
Women have been at the forefront of labor struggles throughout history, often without recognition. From organizing strikes, which I successfully did as President of my Local 1001-Denver, CO, to leading community resistance, women, especially working-class women, have consistently pushed labor forward. Our fights for equity, safety, and dignity were political because they had to be. Progress didn’t come from neutrality. It came from confrontation with unjust systems.
Honoring that legacy means continuing it, not retreating from the political arena.
Our Duty Is to Workers
Union leaders have a responsibility to act in the best interests of our members. That responsibility doesn’t end with contract negotiations. If political decisions threaten wages, benefits, safety, or job security, ignoring those decisions would be a failure of duty.
Engaging in politics isn’t about party loyalty. It’s about protecting the people who make up the working class. Labor and politics are intertwined because power is intertwined. And as long as political decisions shape workers’ lives, labor will and must have a seat at the table.