‘We are not going back’

Washington union members brought worker power at DNC National Convention

By JOHN TRAYNOR
September 4, 2024

From August 19th through the 22nd, the Democrat National Committee convened the National Convention in Chicago. Over 4,000 delegates from all 50 states and the territories converged on the Chicago area to nominate the Democrat nominee for President of the United States.

Of the 135 delegates from Washington State, 26 of them were union members. Over 20% of the national delegation were union members. Labor’s presence was felt and heard throughout the nomination process and the convention itself.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the 7 elected delegates from the 2nd Congressional District, out of the 111 total elected delegates to be selected. The remaining 24 delegates were either automatic delegates or party leaders, or both.

DNC National Convention delegate union members from Washington State pose for a photo.

The union leadership from the various National and International unions were present throughout convention and some even spoke Monday night to the nation on behalf of their respective memberships, but also for all workers. One message was clear, not just from the union leaders, but from all who spoke and attended; When we fight, we win.

The way organized labor swiftly coalesced behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee was unprecedented. We are all members of various labor organizations that each have their own processes to endorse candidates. These processes take time. But, after President Biden announced he would not be proceeding with his bid for re-election, the AFL-CIO affiliates came together in record speed to unify around Vice President Harris as the nominee.

This unity was solidified across the nation as all democratically elected delegates cast their votes at the National Convention, on behalf of their various districts, for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Nominee for President.

Traynor and WSLC President April Sims at the DNC National Convention.

The energy in the United Center, where the official convention business was conducted, was off the charts. The level of excitement that we all brought from our respective districts and constituents was palpable. You could feel it. A party, thankful for the most pro-union President in history, energized and ready to continue the work under a President Harris administration.

There were dozens and dozens of amazing speakers — President Biden, President Obama, Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, to name a few — and a lot of musical guests. Each speaker gave gratitude and touched on the work ahead. It was a stark contrast to the Project 2025 playbook that the other party has developed. Make no mistake, no one makes a playbook that they do not intend to use.

The AFL-CIO has focused a lot of energy, not just getting Vice President Harris elected as President, but also defeating Project 2025. Unions are in peril if Project 2025’s anti-worker agenda is implemented. The future of the labor movement is on the line. It is very clear that we have a lot of work to do to defend our rights and autonomy as humans. We must leave everything on the field and do all we are able to do to secure victory and continue the work of President Biden with a Harris victory.

I have been asked multiple times what my favorite or most memorable part of the convention was. There is not one answer. But I can tell you how it felt. I felt hope. I felt strength. I felt kindness and determination. I felt empowered and I felt more emboldened to fight for working people and for those that need it the most, not for billionaires and companies. Unions have made it pretty clear who we support. We support the nominee from the only party actually advocating for the working class and organized labor, the Democratic Nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

There is work to be done. We are not going back.

John Traynor is the Legislative Director at the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and has been an IBEW Inside Wireman since 1998.