Recently, local labor leaders and workers gathered at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 44 Union Hall to discuss the issues that matter to unions in the upcoming elections. Representatives from the Northeast Pennsylvania Building & Construction Trades Council, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Teamsters showed up to support Rep. Matt Cartwright in his reelection race.

Warren Faust, the president of the Building & Construction Trades Council, kicked off the event, calling Cartwright a “true friend of labor, a friend that consistently votes to protect the rights of working class people in northeastern Pennsylvania, a friend that supports the right to organize.” 

Faust praised Cartwright’s work to bring home infrastructure investment and union jobs, saying “Matt doesn’t answer to anyone other than the people of northeastern Pennsylvania.”

Mike McDermott, the business manager from IBEW Local 81, opened by saying that “our members are working at a $20 million facility at the University of Scranton… The majority of that building was funded by a grant Mr. Cartwright got.” 

McDermott praised Cartwright’s work to create IBEW rail jobs, his efforts to bring manufacturing back to America, and his advocacy for union workers. “Matt has proven that he will walk a picket line with workers as they need it; he will fight to secure contracts for our workers, and he will fight against companies who are wronging our workers.” 

“No endorsement is guaranteed,” said Mark Dimirco, the president of the Teamsters Local 401. “Matt Cartwright has earned our endorsement.” Dimirco noted it was his first time speaking on behalf of a candidate. “I’d like to address everybody, not as a local union leader but rather as a 16-year rank and file member… Everything I have I owe to being a union member. Because of my union, I was able to buy a home and have the stability to begin a family.” 

Dimirco added that union rights are under threat from those who want to “deprive the next generation of these opportunities that I was so lucky to have, all in the pursuit of corporate greed and crony capitalism… They want to erase 100-plus years of labor progress.”

Kerri Gallagher from AFSCME noted that after the Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME ruling hindered the union’s freedom to organize, Cartwright introduced a law to restore public sector workers’ union rights. With real threats to union rights, Gallagher said, “This is a question of who you fight for: is it corporations or is it workers? And Matt knows where he stands. Labor knows where he stands.”

AFSCME retiree Joe Hickey mentioned how critical champions for unions and seniors are right now. Speaker Mike Johnson has plans to raise the retirement age, Hickey said. “That’s how you know someone has a desk job. How can he sleep easy at night asking union members to work until they’re 70?”

Rosemary Boland from the Scranton Teachers Federation emphasized the importance of public education and union workers. According to Boland, “Teachers don’t ever give up” in their fight for public education—and they have an ally in Rep. Cartwright.” 

Cartwright closed the event by noting that northeastern Pennsylvania was “filled with pride for what organized labor has done for America and it started right here.” He called it “an honor to carry on this fight.”

Cartwright for Congress
Scranton, PA