Three of the most crucial policies to reduce inequality in America and restore a middle class economy are the right to vote, the right to form unions and bargain collectively, and the fight for good public education.
The legendary, even iconic Henry Nicholas and his union, 1199, has been and is in the lead on all these issues in Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, and in America.
Henry Nicholas and 1199 were the first to endorse Jim Kenney for Mayor of Philadelphia even before Kenney decided himself to run. Nine months ago, during a contract fight with the Philadelphia healthcare industry in a huge rally at city hall, Nicholas endorsed then Councilman Kenney for mayor and drafted Kenney to run. Kenney is an 1199 member.
Then two weeks ago in the union hall, Henry again called for Kenney to run, because Kenney has said one of his top priorities is to restore quality public education in this city–education ruined by state Republicans who care nothing for big city (read Black) schools.
To give you a glimpse of how dynamic racial questions have become, the city’s largest African-American union and its most prominent political activist are endorsing a white man for mayor, because they believe he is best for a largely African-American school district.
Just about a year ago when the Koch Brothers tried to run their anti-union agenda through the Pennsylvania state legislature with a right-wing Republican governor, it was Nicholas who called for a massive march and rally on the state legislature. 1199 provided the most troops–five buses–in the “We Shall Overwhelm” demonstration by every element of the labor movement to stop destruction of public employee collective bargaining. Thousands showed at the Capitol that day, because Henry called for hardball, not just lobbying. We rallied upstairs inside the Capitol, downstairs in the Capitol, and outside on the Capitol steps and grounds.
The show of force was a blow the Koch Brothers and their minions never recovered from.
We are living through a tragic time in the history of voting rights in America. Popular media and even corporate sponsors celebrate the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a legislative victory won by blood, sacrifice, and at the cost of death. Henry Nicholas was on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the two failed attempts and the one successful struggle to march from Selma to Montgomery. Now, however, almost 30 states have rolled back voting rights since the US Supreme Court gutted the legislation.
We at 1199 have already started Saturday walks to register people to vote.
There are others, but these are three fights we must win, we cannot lose. The future of America is at stake.