WSLC thanks Rep. McDermott for decades of worker advocacy

(Jan. 5, 2016) — Washington State Labor Council President Jeff Johnson issued the following statement today in response to Rep. Jim McDermott’s decision not to seek re-election for Congress this fall:

“On behalf of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, I want to thank Congressman McDermott for more than 40 years of public service and for being a warrior on advocating for health care reform.

“I had the great honor of introducing Jim at a Labor Single-Payer Conference in Chicago this past October. He talked about growing up in a working class family and being the first in his family to attend college and then to medical school as Tommy Douglas was creating history in Sakatchewan by creating a universal, single-payer health care system in the Province. Jim was moved by what was happening just north of the border and began a career-long effort to move our country towards a universal, affordable, and high-quality health care system.

“Jim has kept his working class values all throughout his career and and the working men and women of Washington state are proud of him and thank him deeply for his efforts to create a broadly shared prosperity.”