John,

While this Labor Day may look different for many of us, I want to take a moment to remind you what today is really all about.

Today is a day to honor the accomplishments of the hard working men and women who harnessed the power of collective bargaining to improve working conditions for people all across this country. Thanks to their tireless efforts we have the 40-hour work week, no child labor, safe working conditions, overtime pay, Social Security, and anti-discrimination laws.

Growing up as the daughter of a unionized public school teacher, I was able to see firsthand from my mother the power of collective bargaining and the crucial role unions play in creating a better workplace -- and in her case better learning opportunities for her students. I am so grateful for what the labor movement has accomplished for workers here in Washington State and across the country, and as your congresswoman, I will always fight to protect workers' rights.

Our work is not yet done. So today, let's honor the people who made this holiday possible, and tomorrow get back to work fighting alongside them.

Thank you, and happy Labor Day,

Kim