As a new labor movement grows in size and power, politicians are eagerly trying to align themselves with it to appeal to working-class voters. It makes sense: 67 percent of Americans support labor unions, and, as Ali Velshi points out, Americans also overwhelmingly take the side of workers against employers in our current labor disputes.
As elections approach, the Republican Party is positioning itself as the party of workers, in direct conflict with its historical stance against labor protections and organizing for collective bargaining power. This is unsurprising as the shift toward right-wing populism has enabled the GOP to make connections with low-income, primarily White working-class voters by leveraging misdirection from the true causes of stagnant wages and poor benefits (employers increasing profit by cutting labor expenses) to ideological and social issues like sustainable production and immigration.
How can politicians claim to support the working class without also supporting the unions that advocate for safe working conditions and fair wages?
LISTEN: ALI VELSHI ON SUPPORTING WORKING AMERICANS
WATCH: ALI ON WORKERS AND UNIONS
MORE FROM MSNBC’S ALI VELSHI
