Contact: Isaac Padilla 505/986.4819
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2015
Senate Majority Leader Sanchez Takes Part in Successful White House Summit on Worker Voice
WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Majority Leader Michael S. Sanchez was a member of the opening plenary panel of the Summit on Worker Voice held today, October 7, 2015 at the White House. The Summit, hosted by President Barak Obama, examined how working Americans can more fully share in our country’s growing economic prosperity. Most working men and women know what the latest data shows, the recession might be over but prosperity is not trickling down to the middle class. This is leading to widening income inequality and workers believing they have no voice at their workplace.
The plenary panel focused on the importance of worker voice and the need for a cultural shift in the workplace. Rather than being only concerned with the bottom line, business should also focus on the needs of workers. The panel set the tone for the rest of the summit and the foundation for President Obama’s remarks after the opening session.
“My dad had a bakery for 40 years. He instilled in us that if you take care of your employees, if you listen to what their needs are, if you understand where they come from and they are not worried about paying their bills, that’s the biggest asset in the world,” said Sen. Sanchez.
During the Summit, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez asked Sen. Sanchez about the New Mexico State Senate’s success at stopping anti-worker legislation during the 2015 legislative session. Senator Sanchez explained Senate Democrats’ opposition to the legislation. “I don’t call it the RTW. I call it anti-worker legislation, because that is what it is,” said Sen. Sanchez. He emphasized the many benefits today’s workers have as a result of collective bargaining, including safer working conditions, 40-hour work week, increased salaries, paid sick leave, health care benefits, and retirement pensions.
The goal of the Summit was to begin a national conversation about the importance of workers’ voices in order to protect their interests at the workplace. The conversation will continue on social media. #StartTheConvo was used during the summit and will continue to be used moving forward.
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