Celebrating people and history on Labor Day

Labor Day marks the end of summer with family, friends and neighbors gathering for picnics and BBQs. Too often, we forget why it’s a national holiday celebrating the hardworking Americans who have joined together to make our lives better. Things like the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, paid holidays, retirement security and safety in the workplace can all be attributed to the American labor movement.

Here in Iowa, the history of labor is filled with victories — and some setbacks — for working families. Iowans started organizing labor celebrations as far back as the 1880s. In the beginning, most labor unions were centered on trade jobs like electricians, factory workers, miners and railroad engineers. Now, workers of all types can be and are part of labor unions.

Notably, one of the giants of the labor movement in this country is from Iowa. John L. Lewis was born here. He was a mine worker who became the first president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which today is known as the AFL-CIO. There’s a museum in his honor in Lucas, Iowa with a celebration every year.

In recent years, some politicians at the state Capitol have been following the lead of special interest groups, using every tool at their disposal to stop the labor movement from progressing and ending unions altogether.

It hasn’t worked. And it won’t because the labor movement has always been about people, not politics.

Today, there are more signs of resurgence among labor movements than ever before. Recently, workers from Amazon, Starbucks, Google, and Apple have all been successful in voting to unionize. Existing unions, like the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at UPS, have negotiated higher wages and safer working conditions because all workers deserve to reap the benefits of record profits, not just the CEOs. After a month on the picket line in 2021, John Deere workers here in Iowa were successful in negotiating a new contract with higher wages that kept their retirement system in place.

When you take out the politics, there is broad support for the issues Iowa workers actually care about and are fighting for every day. Lowering costs and raising wages. Expanding access to job training and apprenticeships while keeping community college affordable. Paying skilled workers what they’re worth. Making sure workers are safe on the job. Holding CEOs accountable who withhold wages earned by workers. Ensuring workers can retire with dignity.

Last session, Democrats worked on every one of these ideas.

We also offered other ideas to help working families like access to high-quality child care and creating more affordable housing options. Unfortunately, they were all dismissed because of politics.

We aren’t giving up — we’re just getting started.

To workers out there disillusioned with politics today, we can’t fix it overnight, but we will show up and we will listen to what’s important to you.

To every Iowan celebrating Labor Day this weekend, remember what this holiday is all about — people.

And finally, to every union member, thanks for all you do and fighting to make life better for all of us.

State Rep. Jeff Cooling is ranking member of the Iowa House Labor Committee and serves Iowa’s House District 77. Rep. Jennifer Konfrst is the Iowa House Democratic leader and serves District 32.