Today in Phoenix, Arizona, International President John Costa joined Labor leaders from across the state at our Local 1433 union hall in support of labor champion Congressman Ruben Gallego, the Democrat running for U.S. Senate. “The ATU is proud to be among the first unions to endorse the Congressman for Senate,” said Costa. “Ruben comes from a working-class family, he served his country as a Marine, he has a 100% Labor score from the AFL-CIO, and he worked his way through school at Harvard to continue serving his community. We can’t go backward in Arizona or this country, and Ruben is going to ensure that workers have a strong voice in the Senate.”
Among the other speakers leading up to Gallego were representatives from every sector of labor. From NALC, APFA, AFA, CWA, IAM, ALPA, SMART, AFSCME, SEIU, the State AFL-CIO, the State Democratic Party Chair, and more, solidarity was strong in the House of Labor for Gallego.
“I’m talking to labor because, number one, I am the son of labor. I’m still in a labor family,” said Gallego. “Growing up, it was the best time in my family when we were a part of Carpenters Union Local 1 in Chicago. All my cousins and my father were union members. Now, my brother-in-law is a Steelworker, my other brother-in-law is a mechanic for the Teamsters, and my sister is with the Chicago Teachers Union, and none of them will move to Arizona. Do you want to know why? Chicago is a strong union town, and because they don’t want to move to a right-to-work state with their family. But I am here to tell you that Arizona is changing, and I’m helping to lead that fight!”
Costa was also joined by Local 1433 President Bob Bean, International Vice President Jim Lindsay, and International Representative Michael Cornelius. Thank you to our members and labor who showed loud and clear that we’re ‘Ridin’ with Gallego.’