Dingell Statement on Labor Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today released the following statement in advance of Labor Day, which is Monday, September 5, 2016. 

“Labor Day is a special day in Michigan. It is a holiday to remember the hard-fought victories that labor earned for all of us in the workplace, which we must never take for granted.

“Too many of us take for granted a 40 hour work week, safe workplaces, pensions, healthcare, classrooms that aren’t overcrowded, and safe nurse to patient ratios – all of these battles have been fought and won by labor unions, and those of us who benefit from these gains need to remember and appreciate that.

“This Labor Day, as many continue to try to destroy the impact of labor unions, we need to support working men and women across this country. We need policies that grow our economy and keep good-paying jobs in this country; we need to raise the minimum wage and strengthen collective bargaining; and most importantly, we need to all work together to stop bad trade deals that pose an urgent threat to jobs, wages and the worker protections that labor fought so hard for. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is likely to come before Congress this year, and I am committed to working with my colleagues to ensure this unfair trade agreement – which would ship manufacturing jobs overseas to countries that mistreat their workers, manipulate their currencies and break the rules to gain an unfair advantage – never sees the light of day.

“I will march with my brothers and sisters in labor in downtown Detroit this year, as I have for decades. I will renew my promise to fight for working families in Congress every single day because an investment in labor is an investment in our families, communities and our future. On this Labor Day, we thank them for what they continue to do for us all.”