As Union members we know that improving the lives of working people is better for everyone.

Ever since Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were suddenly thrust centerstage with just over three months to go before the election, voters have been striving to form firm opinions ahead of decision time on November 5.

We already know what their opponents stand for.

They want us to believe that government is inherently corrupt, and since the game is rigged anyway, it’s fine to take what you can and look after your own. The other side has no qualms about saying whatever sounds appealing, even if it’s a barefaced lie.

The truth is a lot more complicated. Crafting laws that change people’s lives and painstakingly allocating funds to the areas where they are needed most is tedious and often thankless work.

It’s also a tougher sell. As former president Barack Obama warned at the Democratic Convention back in August, this will be a tight race in a closely divided country. A country where too many Americans are still struggling, where a lot of Americans don’t believe that government can help.

As Union members, we know different. We know that the amount of money that government decides to put into national programs like Medicare and Medicaid has a direct effect on what we can negotiate for our own paychecks. If the extremist Republicans take control of the White House and Congress, the very existence of these programs will be under threat.

That’s why, up and down the country, from the Canadian border right down to the south of Florida, 1199ers have been out spreading the word for the Democratic candidates we need to elect in order to preserve both our jobs and our freedoms (see Protecting the Future p. 18). Not to mention our children’s futures.

We know that Kamala’s priorities are our priorities. She’s pledged to protect and extend healthcare funding. And she also wants to put a stop to the price gouging that keeps our grocery prices high.

The other side want voters to make decisions based on how the candidates make them feel. Did JD Vance talk a good game when he faced off against Tim Walz at the Vice-Presidential Debate in late October. Of course he did. The only problem was a good proportion of what he said was false or misleading. On top of that, he tried to tell us that most of the country’s problems were caused by immigrants. As 1199ers, almost all of us were either born in a different country ourselves or work alongside people who did. Every year, we march together to celebrate each other’s cultural traditions and heritage (see Cultural Expression p. 9).

The populations we serve as healthcare workers are as diverse as we are. At our institutions we can see the value of staff who speak languages other than English. For instance, having members on hand who can communicate in a woman’s native tongue is one of the keys to providing effective prenatal care and making sure that any risk factors are identified early (see Birth Equity p. 16). This fits in with another shared priority we have with Kamala Harris—a commitment to improving the unacceptably high disparities in maternal health care. Black and native women have some of the worst pregnancy outcomes in the developed world and this has to change.

It’s time to build America where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, not just those who were lucky enough to be born into wealthy families.

The vast majority of us do not want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. We want to be better. We want an America that works for all. Thats why we are going to do what it takes to elect champions like Kamala Harris on November 5 and finally step into the future we deserve.