With economy that has long favored those at the top, America’s workforce is at a watershed moment.
Workers in industry and in government have taken to the streets, stopped work, voted to strike, held picket signs, demanded higher wages, better benefits as well as stronger workplace protections — all in the wake of massive corporate profits, the cost of living going up, skyrocketing rent, and the arrival of Artificial Intelligence.
Truck drivers at UPS, Kaiser healthcare workers, nurses at private hospitals, classified school employees, actors and writers in entertainment, Los Angeles City workers, hotel workers, auto workers, all — along with countless others have gone on strike. The New York Times even wrote, “California’s Wave of Labor Activism Surges Once More.“
Amid this growing labor movement is the upcoming campaign in 2024, from the top of the ticket election for U.S. President all the way down ballot to California State Senate and local races.
While Joe Biden has been mightily working to secure crucial labor union support for his re-election, locally down ballot, in the South Los Angeles and South Bay region, it’s been eight years since we have had a highly contested race to represent our community in California’s State Senate District 35.
With incumbent State Senator Steven Bradford termed out, multiple candidates are seeking to be our community’s voice on behalf of the Senate District 35, which encompasses almost a million people. Like Biden, most, if not all, of the State Senate candidates are also seeking the influential backing of labor unions.
The 35th District is undoubtedly heavily populated with union households, and given the increased attention about the labor movement, union support for candidates seeking public office could carry even more electoral weight this election cycle than in years past.
One candidate in particular in the State Senate race has collected far more working families and labor union support than the rest of the field: Michelle Chambers.
Previously External Affairs Manager for California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a former staffer for U.S. Congressmembers Janice Hahn and Diane E. Watson, Chambers was recently endorsed by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.
Representing over 800,000 union members countywide, in backing Chambers’ campaign for SD-35, L.A. County Federation of Labor president Yvonne Wheeler stated, “We know Michelle will be a fighter for more good paying jobs, protections for workers, safeguarding collective bargaining, investments in infrastructure and building an economy that works for all people, not just those at the top.”
Beyond the labor federation, Chambers has earned endorsements from the powerful Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California State Council, the California Nurses Association and the California Teachers Association, as well as a myriad of others.
Often in crowded races with several candidates seeking public office, voters look to groups and organizations they trust. In SD-35, it’s clear the overwhelming consensus of labor unions and groups fighting for higher wages for working families are with Michelle Chambers for Senate.
The upcoming primary election is on March 5, 2024.