For Immediate Release: March 2, 2022
Contact: Mark Brueggenjohann 202-728-6014
IBEW Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address
Lonnie Stephenson, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, issued this statement in response to President Biden’s State of the Union address:
“When the American people overwhelmingly elected Joe Biden to be America’s 46th president, they sent him to Washington with a mandate that was simple and pure: get control of a raging pandemic; grow our economy from the bottom and middle out, not the top down; and make life better for working families. One year into his presidency, and so far, no president has done more for working families than Joe Biden.
“Within days of taking office, President Biden signed dozens of executive orders that promote worker-friendly policies, including those that create good jobs in the energy sector. He appointed a union member to lead the Department of Labor, has been an outspoken proponent of the PRO Act, defended registered apprenticeships, and launched the first-ever White House Task force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.
“President Biden worked with Democrats and Republicans to sign into law the largest infrastructure investment in our nation’s history. To help stop the spread and curb the dangers of COVID-19, the Biden administration helped get more than two hundred million shots in arms in six months. And in the face of a deeply divided country and Congress, with a global pandemic raging that has caused unprecedented supply chain disruptions and massive job losses, President Biden worked with Democratic majorities to provide much-needed relief to the American people through the American Rescue Plan, saving our paychecks, pensions, and public services.
“On the campaign trail and throughout his presidency, Joe Biden has promised to be the most pro-union, pro-worker president in history. When he talks about how unions built the middle class, it isn’t nostalgia. President Biden is actively creating an environment where unions—and by default, all working families—can flourish for generations to come.
“Thanks to President Biden, the state of our union, the state of our economy, and the state of working families in America is strong. The IBEW and its 775,000 members applaud the Biden administration’s pro-worker, pro-union approach to governing, and look forward to working together to continue growing the economy in a way that works for everyone.”
###
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents approximately 775,000 members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.