HAPPY LABOR DAY!

May I offer my thanks and congratulations to the members of organized labor on this Labor Day 2010.  Indeed, it is the American labor movement that fought to protect American jobs and brought us fair wages, safe workplaces and reasonable employee benefits.   

In the words of John F. Kennedy, Our unions have fought for aid to education, better housing, and further development of our rich natural resources.  They speak not for narrow self-interest, but for the public interest and the people.

The celebration of Labor Day would be all the more meaningful if Arizona's appointed governor and the Republican-led legislature had not so clearly turned their backs on the struggles and concerns of the middle class working sector. The work force which is the backbone of Arizona must be allowed to share the fruit of their labor through just wages, fair taxes, affordable health care, a strong public education system and job opportunities for their sons and daughters. 

We acknowledge the mutual dependence of capital and labor. It has been well said "neither capital can do without labor, nor labor without capital."  This mutual dependence can exist only in the atmosphere of honesty, fairness and justice.  The current governor and legislature have failed to recognize this standard. 

Arizona deserves better than what the last two years have wrought.

                                                                                                    
                                                                                                     Don Jorgensen, Chair LD 26 Democrats