POLICY ISSUES
This campaign launched March 11, 2025. Since the beginning, we’ve talked about taking a different path to achieve a different result. I intend to look at past, current, and future legislation through a lens of restore, reform, and repeal. What legislation has passed that negatively impacts our country and that needs to be repealed? What has been taken away that should be restored? And lastly, what in our political system needs to be reformed?
This isn’t your typical campaign, and this isn’t your typical issues section. Our intent wasn’t to tell people what to think, but rather to listen to their concerns. In response to what we heard, this is our plan to improve the lives of the people we seek to serve.
Labor Unions
Unions built this county and we should be grateful for what they have given us: the 40-hour work week, overtime pay, higher wages, safer working conditions, and so much more. But union rights have been under attack for decades. Corporate interests have lobbied politicians to put profits over the rights of workers and as a result, union membership has long been on the decline. 30% of employees in the 1950s were unionized, in the 80s, that number was down to 20%, and today union membership constitutes less than 10% of all workers. While our public employee unions like teachers and police remain strong, our private union membership continues to shrink. The middle class is smaller than ever. The number of Americans making a liveable wage has declined at nearly the same rate as union membership. The decrease in union membership has directly led to an increase in income inequality.
I fully support the “L” for Labor in the DFL. I support workers’ rights to collectively bargain and would fight for legislation that expands employee protections, strengthens union rights, and improves benefits and wages for workers.
I support the Davis-Bacon Act which ensures fair wages for local construction workers on federal projects.
I support the proposed PRO Act which would amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to:
Override "right-to-work" laws present in 27 states that allow employees to opt out of paying union dues.
Strengthen employees' legal right to form unions and bargain collectively without employer interference or fear of retaliation.
Authorize the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to fine employers for violating labor laws.
Allow the NLRB to order employers into mandatory bargaining for a first contract if the parties cannot reach an agreement.
Prohibit employers from holding mandatory anti-union meetings.
