AFSCME’s Saunders: AFTER THREE YEARS WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN, WORKING PEOPLE ARE BUILDING GREATER POWER THAN WE’VE SEEN IN DECADES

WASHINGTON, DC – American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders released the following statement ahead of President Joe Biden’s third State of the Union address:

“After three years with President Biden at the helm, our economy is strong, and working people are building greater power than we’ve seen in decades. Health care professionals, cultural workers, child care providers and more are taking historic stands for dignity and respect on the job. And Joe Biden has been standing with them, becoming the first-ever sitting U.S. president to join a picket line. The investments made by the Biden administration are giving public service workers leverage to win strong contracts, and that is helping state and local governments recruit and retain essential workers to keep our communities running.

“In an economy rigged against working people, President Biden is balancing the scales. He is lowering costs for working families, reining in high prescription drug prices, expanding health care coverage, forgiving student debt and making critical investments to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure. But the job is not done. Extremists in Congress are doing everything they can to stand in the way of progress, even if it means threatening to shut down the government. President Biden has been a bulwark against these attacks, protecting important programs like Social Security and Medicare.

“One thing is for certain: Workers can count on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to have their back in the White House. That is why tonight presents an important opportunity for the president to lay out exactly how he’s delivering for working families. AFSCME and our allies will be active this year, mobilizing our members and our communities to ensure that the Biden-Harris team can continue the fight for working people for four more years.”

AFSCME’s 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in communities across the nation, serving in hundreds of different occupations — from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and freedom and opportunity for all working families.