For a Better Georgia: We need to vote for candidates who stand for workers’ rights
By Joe Prather
Being born and raised in Atlanta, I’m proud to be from here and make my living here as a forklift operator at a distribution center. Even though I’ve worked at the same facility for the past 30 years, each day is different because of the diverse backgrounds and experiences everyone I work with brings to the table. As a leader in the center and in my union, SEIU, Workers United — Southern Region, I’m always trying to bring new folks into the union because I know the value of having different perspectives at the table as we work together to lift each other up.
However, not everyone respects the importance of employees’ perspectives and voices at my warehouse and the thousands of others like it across the country. Greedy corporations take advantage of the most vulnerable workers in order to enhance their bottom line, and the lack of respect often comes in the form of unfair pay. While corporate executives continue to get richer, employees get paid poverty wages. And at my distribution center, we work 10 hour shifts — or longer during peak season — without fair pay. While wages have increased over the past few years thanks to our advocacy as a union, our raises haven’t kept up with the rising costs of living in Georgia.
Without fair wages, many employees have to take second jobs just to afford to pay all of their bills. Even still, many of my colleagues have to choose between paying for their children’s school supplies or paying the electricity bill. Two jobs leaves little time to spend with their families. I value family over everything, so I know what a big sacrifice this is. I’m lucky to share the bills with my wife, who makes it possible for me to have enough time to stay close with my daughter. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for most other workers. There is more to be done.
But we have power to make change, and the more involved I got with my union, the more I got out of it. I’ve always been someone who stands up for what’s right, so I knew that I had to stand up for my coworkers, so after nearly two decades, I ran for Local president. I won that election, and have served in elected leadership at SEIU, Workers United for many years now. Each time a new associate comes into the distribution center, I tell them that if they ever feel their rights are being violated, we will fight for them. We’ve had plenty of victories, but we’re still continuing the fight. I’ve learned that I can’t win on all issues, but we still have to try.
After seeing how the power of my voice can bring about change in my distribution center, I started getting involved in political activism to make changes in my community. The same way that I’ve encouraged new employees to join the union to bring about change, I’ve encouraged friends and neighbors to vote in elections. Especially in Georgia, it’s clear just how important every single vote is and the issues at stake are too big to sit on the sidelines.
Our elected officials represent our communities, and they have the power to help us in our fight for a better life by raising the minimum wage, making sick days and paid time off part of our laws, getting us quality, affordable healthcare, protecting our freedom to vote, and so much more. And it’s our power that puts them there. Just like my coworkers and I come together as a union, we came together in 2020 to flip Georgia blue. In 2021, we came together to elect a Mayor and a City Council who understand our needs and raised wages for workers at the airport. And this year, we can come together again to vote for even more candidates at all levels of government who will join our movement for a better Georgia. Candidates like Stacey Abrams, Bee Nguyen, William Boddie, and Charlie Bailey. So this year, I’m canvassing, phonebanking, and of course, voting. There is so much more we can do together when we all come together and vote. I hope on November 8, you decide to join us.
