PHOENIX — Today, Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, joined fellow union leaders from the Arizona AFL-CIO, UFCW 99, Unite HERE Local 11, AFSCME Local 2960, and the Arizona Building Trades Council to hold a press conference demanding an end to attacks on workers and denouncing the billionaire-first policy agenda pushed by the Trump administration and its allies. Together, the unions represent more than 200,000 members across the state of Arizona.
“At the Arizona Education Association, we represent nearly 24,000 workers — not just classroom educators but social workers, counselors, cafeteria workers, custodians, and probably your child’s favorite teacher. When I first started teaching in Arizona in 2006, it was a shock to the system – not just because of the low pay or lack of resources, but because of the lack of respect accorded to educators by those in power,” said Marisol Garcia, President of the Arizona Education Association and an eighth-grade teacher in the Isaac School District. “Over our collective lifetimes, we’ve watched as a small group of people have rigged the economy to benefit themselves at our expense. As our wages stay stagnant and our costs rise, the rich have grown richer. This Labor Day, it’s time for us to remember that we are the supermajority. We are the ones who keep this country moving. When this administration kidnapped a Phoenix father as he was dropping his child off at school, the people who met his child at the door of the school were union workers. The people who have kept that child safe at school every day since are union workers. During the pandemic, it was our cafeteria workers who put their lives on the line to provide food for students and families who were stuck at home. The workers are the ones who will lead us forward — not the politicians and not the corporations. It’s time for us to band together and stand in solidarity, because nobody is going to save us but us. Workers will lead the transition to a new, brighter future — and that starts now.”
“We're standing shoulder to shoulder because this fight isn't just about one union or one industry. It's about defending democracy and protecting every worker's freedom, fairness, and security,” said Fred Yamashita, Secretary-Treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO. “Here's the truth: if we stay silent, politicians backed by billionaires and big corporations will divide us. They want us pointing fingers at each other so we don't notice what they're doing — driving down our wages, taking away our health care, and stripping away our rights on the job. But they can’t take away our solidarity when we stand together.
“If you are a worker in Arizona today, the single best thing you can do is join a union. A union means you don't stand alone. It means you have a voice on the job, a seat at the table, and have a voice when politicians or corporations try to silence you,” said Jim McLaughlin, President of UFCW 99 & AZ AFL-CIO. “And if you're a leader in Washington right now, know this: Arizona's labor movement will not go down without a fight. We will stand together. We will organize, and we will never back down from defending the dignity and rights of working people.”
“Unions are workplace democracy in action. They give workers a voice on the job and the ability to defend our rights and make sure the playing field is fair for everyone,” said Beatriz Topete, Arizona State Director, UNITE HERE Local 11. “In 2023, Sky Harbor airport workers fought and won life-changing wages after they organized, stood together, and struck. They won pensions, safe working conditions, and protections from discrimination. Our power is solidarity, and when we use it, we win.”
“AFSCME Local 2960 represents 3,000 members across 28 departments in the city of Phoenix — from 911 dispatchers to building inspectors, librarians, social workers, airport workers, and so many more,” said Frank Piccioli, President of AFSCME Local 2960.“Attacks from the federal government that cut funding for essential services like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security put the retirees and working families we represent at risk. We are calling on all elected officials at all levels of government to stand up for the families who will struggle because of these cuts. We also must hold those elected officials accountable who support these anti-worker agendas. ”
“Every day, our members contribute to buildings and essential projects in their communities, including schools, hospitals, stadiums, large commercial buildings, industrial facilities, power plants, and other critical infrastructure,” said Michael Vazquez, Executive Director of the Arizona Building Trades Council. “The reality is that the policies we are opposing are not abstract; they have a direct impact on families. Especially for the immigrant workers, who make up a large portion of Arizona's construction workforce. Instead of honoring the hard work of immigrant workers, this administration, along with numerous politicians and corporations, is targeting them. They are using fear and threats to create division among us.”