Connecticut’s 5th District Representative Jahana Hayes addressed more than 200 union activists at a Labor Day kickoff breakfast in Hartford on Friday, urging Democratic leaders to act decisively on labor issues now that the party is poised to retake the House.
Local leaders rally behind Hayes
The event, held in a historic trade‑union hall, was introduced by the president of the Connecticut AFL‑CIO, who praised Hayes as “the future chair of the Labor and Education Committee.” Hayes, a former teacher and 2016 National Teacher of the Year, did not dispute the description.
Among the audience were former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin, who recently won a primary against longtime Congressman John B. Larson, and Governor Ned Lamont. The AFL‑CIO endorsed Bronin this week, underscoring the close ties between state‑level Democrats and the labor movement.
Critique of past Democratic inaction
Hayes warned that Democratic lawmakers had “slow‑walked” a robust labor agenda during the two‑year period after President Joe Biden’s 2020 election, when the party held a trifecta of the White House, Senate and House. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the promises that were made to labor, and a lot about how we should have done more when we had a majority trifecta,” she said. “That cannot happen again.”
Her remarks implicitly referenced the 79‑year‑old Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia, the current ranking Democrat on the Education and Workforce Committee, who has indicated he will seek the chair again.
Policy focus: the PRO Act and NLRB
In a brief interview after her remarks, Hayes highlighted the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), legislation that would shield workers from retaliation for union activity. She noted that under President Trump, the National Labor Relations Board was “neutered,” lacking enough members for a quorum and thus unable to enforce labor protections.
Scott introduced a version of the PRO Act in 2021, but it stalled in the Senate after a Republican filibuster prevented passage.
Union popularity and local impact
Connecticut’s labor leaders pointed to a Gallup poll showing a 71 % approval rating for unions—steady for six years and comparable to the movement’s 1950s peak. Statewide, Connecticut ranks fifth in overall union membership at 16.1 %, tied with Rhode Island, and leads the nation in union strength among state employees.
“We are meeting at a moment when working people across the country are rightfully feeling angry about just about everything,” said Ed Hawthorne, president of the Connecticut AFL‑CIO. “Trust in America’s labor unions is rising again.”
Hawthorne announced a door‑to‑door canvassing schedule to mobilize union members for upcoming elections, emphasizing that union leaders enjoy higher public trust than many Democratic politicians.
Looking ahead
Hayes reiterated that if Democrats regain the House, they must deliver on promises to working families, fight rising living‑cost pressures, and ensure fair wages and benefits. While union membership remains modest—5.9 % in the private sector versus 32.9 % in the public sector—Hayes and state leaders see the current momentum as an opportunity to expand influence.
As the 2026 midterm cycle approaches, Hayes’s potential bid for the Education and Workforce Committee chairmanship could shape the national conversation on labor rights, especially if the Trump administration continues to prioritize pro‑business deregulation.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
