Labor unions a prominent topic of discussion at DNC

CHICAGO -- Unions have taken the center stage during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. 

President Joe Biden has famously stated that he is the most pro-union President in American history, and Kamala Harris looks to keep her relations positive with one of the biggest blocks of voters in the country. 

Aside from the hype and excitement that has been occurring outside United Center; with speeches, roll calls, and rallying, an important part of these conventions are the councils and caucuses that lay out how the party's goals on issues will be executed.

A significant part of the party platform adopted last night included a commitment to expand workers protections and the right to unionize.

As part of the commitment to strengthen unions, the Democratic Party says it's committed to repealing so-called 'Right to Work' Legislation that allows employees to work at unionized businesses without joining a union.

Indiana and Kentucky are Right to Work states, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says that it hasn't stopped union growth.

"Even with those [Right to Work laws] in place in Kentucky, union membership has gone up two straight years," Gov. Beshear said. "We have more union construction going on right now than ever before, the UAW and the team just negotiated the best contracts in their career, so there is a way even pushing through all of that when business sees the skill and organized labor has an especially with some of these federal programs and make sure we pay good wages that we treat people right seeing businesses that have never used organized labor, now, swearing that they will only use it," stated Beshear.

Many will remember Gov. Beshear as the headliner of the Labor Council Meeting and a recent candidate for the vice-presidential role that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ended up filling. 

Vice President Harris has yet to mention a national ban on Right to Work laws as part of her campaign, but an adjacent piece of this issue is the push for a $15 minimum wage, which Democrats claim would make union labor more competitive.