Just as daffodils bloom in spring, candidates filing to run for office in Oregon have emerged, similarly on schedule. They seek to serve us, but also to wield a bit of the power that comes with the job. Because they make decisions that impact our lives, we should never ignore this rite of spring.
Power: the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. That is what a would-be elected official is authorized to harness. We in the labor movement understand power, because sharing and balancing that force is something the House of Labor has made its singular purpose on behalf of working people.
Because the political season is upon us, now is the time to think about how power impacts our lives. The power we in labor amass provides a counterweight to the power of capital, of the owner class, or of “management.” Power enables us to challenge the supremacy of the few.
But how do we build power? Is it just about numbers — how many rank-and-file workers join a local, or the percentage penetration of unions in a specific sector or region? Or is it about motivating that membership to volunteer on campaigns, to become activists for the greater good?
I would argue that it is a bit of both. We certainly know that as labor union membership waned after the heyday of the 1950s-60s, wages stagnated, work schedules became less humane, safety standards declined, and laws weakening union participation were enacted in 27 states — the so-called “right-to-work” states where worker wages and labor participation are the worst in the country. The decline in union power is responsible for at least 50% of the increase in income inequality in this country, according to a study by the International Monetary Fund.
The power of elites in corporate and political settings allows them to manipulate the system, not only to depress wages across the board, but also to win tax cuts for themselves and deregulation for their industries — further widening the divide. They do this by funding the campaigns of their favorite candidates, whose policies favor them. In places with campaign finance restrictions, they do this through independent expenditures.
Inspiring our working families to emulate this strategy, using our people power to help our favorite candidates achieve victory, is the best way to narrow the wealth and wage gaps.
So what does that look like? We select candidates for endorsement who share our values and have a winnable path to leadership. We help them reach voters with boots on the ground during the run-up to elections. We spread the word to our colleagues, allies, and a sympathetic public who support unions and want our communities to thrive.
There were 225,000 union members in Oregon’s workforce in 2023, making ours one of the top 10 states for union density. If every union household turned out for explicitly pro-labor candidates in 2024, we would sweep the elections from the top to the bottom of the ballot. If even 10% of us agreed to canvass, call, and otherwise engage with voters on behalf of labor candidates, we could move political mountains this year.
Now that’s power that money can’t buy.
Laurie Wimmer is executive secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.
