Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org
United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway and District 8 Director Billy Thompson released the following statement today urging Sen. Joe Manchin to vote for the budget reconciliation bill that would deliver long-overdue investments in workers and their families:
“The Build Back Better Act represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in America’s middle class, providing access to badly needed resources like quality child- and eldercare, affordable health care and safer, more resilient workplaces.
“Joe Manchin now has the chance to join his Senate colleagues to make this a reality, not only for the hundreds of thousands of workers in West Virginia who voted for him, but for working families across our nation, who are depending on our elected officials to finally put their well-being ahead of that of the already rich and powerful.
“We urge Sen. Manchin to reconsider his current, misguided position on Build Back Better and instead negotiate in good faith to finalize the bill. There is simply too much at stake for him to walk away from his responsibility to our nation: to meet today’s challenges while ensuring a more secure future for all Americans.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, mining, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service, public and health care sectors and higher education. District 8 represents thousands of USW members in West Virginia, and three other states.