John,

Today is May Day – a holiday dedicated to honoring the sacrifices and hard-fought victories of America’s working class and labor movement:

Organized labor and unions built America’s middle class – and I know this firsthand. When I was in graduate school, I joined the GEO UAW Local 2322, a unit of teaching assistants, associates, and project assistants at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Then, as a teacher, I was a member of the National Education Association, which gave us the collective power to negotiate for health insurance, retirement, paid sick leave, and fair pay. 

Today, I’m extremely proud that we’ve built a campaign by and for working people – particularly Vermont’s fire fighters, electrical workers, building and construction workers, teachers, nurses, machinists, and many, many more. 

Only through unions, labor, and by prioritizing the voices and experiences of real people can we build an economy that puts workers first. 

In solidarity, 

Becca Balint