On Labor Day, hold politicians accountable

Labor Day was created by unions to honor the labor movement and celebrate our work. I sincerely thank the working people out there and wish you all a happy and safe Labor Day.

On this particular weekend you can always find articles in newspapers throughout the land written by politicians. They like to praise themselves for all the great things they say they have accomplished for workers.

One lifelong politician who writes these articles is U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. He usually brags about having long ago been a Machinists Union member; however his voting record has not been pro-worker by any stretch of the imagination. If he was ever a blue collar worker at some point, he has apparently forgotten based on his voting history.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson may post on social media or write a guest column on Labor Day about what she has done for working people and how much she loves us. Yet she has voted against pro worker bills in the past and my guess is she will continue to vote against bills that truly help working families.

We may read newspaper articles and posts from our governor. Gov. Kim Reynolds will try to convince working people she is on our side, but her record indicates otherwise. She was instrumental in gutting the Chapter 20 law in Iowa in 2017. That legislation stripped Public Sector Workers of their bargaining rights by eliminating permissive topics for collective bargaining, hardly an action I would classify as pro-worker.

The bottom line is that we can no longer allow our elected officials to say one thing on the campaign trail and do just the opposite once elected. They bank on people forgetting the statements and promises they have made. Working people can no longer afford to be duped into partisan rhetoric and hot button topics. We must come together and hold our elected officials accountable, regardless of party affiliation.

Ask your elected representatives questions about working family issues. Call them out when they lie and when they vote with large campaign donors over working people's interests. An elected official should always listen to their constituents first, not whoever the highest bidder is.

So on this Labor Day, let's commit to fighting for working people and our rights. Let’s hold our elected officials accountable for their actions and demand they support pro working family legislation. We all deserve the right to have a voice at the workplace, we all deserve to have a safe work environment and be compensated fairly for our toil. We all deserve to retire with dignity someday because all work has dignity.

As you enjoy time with your friends, families and hobbies this weekend, remember why we have this special day for working people and thank a union member for it.

The Hawkeye Labor Council annual Labor Day picnic is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with food served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The even will be held at Hawkeye Downs, 4400 6th St. SW in Cedar Rapids.

Rick Moyle is executive director of the Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO.