On January 20, 1986, our country observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday for the first time. The campaign to recognize it had begun soon after his assassination in 1968 but took years to see success. Dr. King understood the clear connection between civil rights and labor rights and was a true champion for both causes. On January 15, we recognize his profound contributions to making our world a better place. Dr. King had a clear understanding of how powerful many voices can be when they join together. He understood and promoted the importance of bringing many people together to give them the strength to improve their lives.
One thing is certain as we welcome 2024: Labor continues to prove its strength and might regularly. Unions across the country have shown their solidarity and been rewarded with boosts in public opinion, as well as securing the rights and respect union members deserve from employers. CSEA has welcomed many new members into our union family. All of this proves that greedy billionaires like the ones who fund the extremely misguided Freedom Foundation and other anti-union groups are completely wrong. Despite constant efforts to convince or even outright scam union members, they aren’t LEAVING unions, they are JOINING us!
Any change in membership has much more to do with the huge problem right now filling public sector positions. That’s why our union has been working closely with elected leaders and other officials on legislation and initiatives that will help ease this. Our efforts do seem to be making a difference, but we will continue to work on this issue until it is remedied. It is clear when new employees join the workforce, they will join our union, but you can all still help make sure that happens. If you meet a new colleague, tell them how important it is to be a member of CSEA.
Together, we can continue to grow our union and make us even stronger than we already are!
This year may continue to bring challenges to the world, the country and our state, but we will rise to meet those challenges. Together. Stronger than ever. And we will all be better off as a result of it!
