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Last Friday, in anticipation of Labor Day Weekend, Gov. Kay Ivey left a brief video message for Alabama’s workers.
“My fellow Alabamians, today we come together to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our fellow citizens,” Ivey began. “Labor Day is a time to honor the men and women who have built this state and who continue to move Alabama forward, solidifying us as a powerhouse in our various industries and a leader in innovation.”
She continued, “From the brave men and women who protect and serve, to the skilled hands that craft our ‘Made in Alabama’ goods, to the educators who shape our future, to the healthcare workers who care for our people, every Alabamian’s contribution is invaluable.”
“Y’all’s hard work is the backbone of our prosperity today and tomorrow. Truly, thank you for all you do and have a safe and happy Labor Day,” Ivey concluded.
APR reached out to Jacob Morrison, a member of the American Federation of Government Employees and president of the North Alabama Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO, to hear a local labor leader’s reaction to Ivey’s statement.
Morrison began by echoing Ivey’s sentiment, “Governor Ivey is right, Alabama doesn’t work without its workers. We should acknowledge and honor Alabama’s working class for the value we create at work.”
“Importantly though, we should also acknowledge and commemorate the freedoms from and at work that working people in this country – including in Alabama – fought and died for,” Morrison emphasized.
He then pointed to unions — not politicians like Ivey — as the real source of worker’s rights in Alabama and across the country. “The weekend, paid time off, health insurance, and pensions were won by unions, not given to us. Now, corporations and their political allies are trying to take everything back.”
Ivey herself has been a rather fierce opponent of unions during her tenure, celebrating the failed efforts of United Auto Workers to unionize Mecedes-Benz workers in Alabama earlier this year. Her Republican colleague and speaker of the state House of Representatives, Nathaniel Ledbetter, referred to the UAW as a “dangerous leech.”
Morrison went on to critique Ivey and other political leaders for apeaking in support of labor while failing to truly act on behalf of worker’s rights.
“We deserve more than just nice words thanking us for the value we create once a year,” he said. “Alabama’s workers deserve higher wages, more time off, a voice on the job, and the ability to retire with dignity. We also deserve elected leaders that back us up when we fight for these things, instead of standing on the side of our bosses trying to break our strikes and hamstring our campaigns.”
“Hundreds of workers across Alabama are on strike right now,” Morrison continued, citing the ongoing Communications Workers of America strike which was born out of accusations of unfair labor practices by communications giant AT&T. “They’re demanding that AT&T stop breaking the law and bargain in good faith. If [Ivey] wanted to thank Alabama’s workers, she could start by standing with her constituents against a giant multi-billion dollar corporation, but I won’t be holding my breath.”
