June 6, 2018
Contact: Steve Smith 510-326-4644
ssmith@calaborfed.org

Statement by California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski

California voters chose a future prioritizing good jobs, strong public schools, affordable housing, universal access to health care and equality for all in yesterday’s primary election. Despite tens of millions of dollars spent by corporate special interests on behalf of candidates who seek to privatize education and do away with good union jobs, voters roundly rejected that approach. Once again, through boots-on-the-ground mobilization, union volunteers led the way in proving our strength in numbers overcomes the millionaires’ deep pockets.

We congratulate Gavin Newsom on his first-place finish in the Governor’s race and look forward to working hard in the coming months to ensure he’s elected California’s next Governor. We also congratulate all the other candidates who ran on a pro-worker platform for setting the tone that will continue our state’s progress after November. The road to flipping Congress runs through the heart of California. Working people are laser-focused on replacing those who rubber-stamp Trump’s agenda with progressives who will turn our country around.

California’s unions sent a clear message in last night’s elections: The attacks against working people will fail. Donald Trump and his billionaire corporate allies won’t turn the clock back on the progress we’ve made in California. Unions are more committed than ever to ensuring the American Dream is available to all, and we’re determined to give workers a seat at the table in deciding our future.

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The California Labor Federation is made up of more than 1,200 unions, representing 2.1 million union members in manufacturing, retail, construction, hospitality, public sector, health care, entertainment and other industries.