about an hour. >> our first guest is here. ♪ >> good morning. brothers and sisters, how are y'all feeling this morning? [applause] >> are you ready today to tell

congress that you need a raise? are you ready? i come here today with a message. and you came with a message. is that right? >> yes. >> let me take the privilege to say happy valentines to everyone in this audience today. and happy birthday to one of our staff today. i came here today and i'm glad you are here with me. we are here to send a message. a loud and clear message to our citizens and representatives here on the hill. do your job. say that with me. say do your job! from the government, do your job! >> [chanting]

do your job! >> all right. not only do we want them to do their job, but we want them to fund the government, keep it open and keep the government serving the american people. this is the most basic function of congress. but right now the mag a house is setting new rules of dysfunctionality. destructiveness, chaos, incompetence, and ignorance. they don't want us to receive quality health care. they want our prison properly staffed and guarded and borders protected. they want their meat to be safe and the air and water to be clean and they want to be healthy. so members of congress, time to stand up and deliver.

because if you don't, there are many candidates out there who can become effective lawmakers. and guess what? we will help them get elected. and here's something else we are here to tell congress. it is time, matter fact, it is past time, for employees to receive what they are due for their hard work and service to the american people. and at last, at least, a 7.4% raise. a raise that our members actually deserve. 7.4. 7.4. >> [chanting]

7.4. >> all right. before we go to our first speaker, i want you to say it with me. on their heels. at their door. what do we tell them? 7.4! 7.4! 7.4! afge, i love you. let's get this job done. now i would like to introduce representative al hoyer of oregon. as a member of the house committee on transportation and infrastructure and the house committee on national resources. fighting for our national parks and interior employees. before she came to congress, she was labor commissioner and a

strong advocate for organized labor. please welcome afge's friend and representative, representative al hoyer. >> thank you. brothers and sisters, thank you for being here today. i am proud to cosponsor the bill to give you a 7.4% raise. but i'm here to apologize because it is not nearly enough, because over the past few decades, your pensions have been gutted. your wages have been stagnant. because we have people in government, my mag colleagues, who want to break the system and give tax breaks to the wealthiest while they make you have to work two jobs.

one job should be enough. and then not give you staff and blame you when things start breaking. it is not right, it is not fair. you are expected to show up at your job even when government is shut down and you are not getting paid, and you do because you are patriots and you care about this country. while our colleagues want to get paid to not show up at work and break the system. it is wrong. but here's the thing. they think they can get away with it because they think we are asleep at the wheel. but here's what i will tell you. when you take on one union, you take on the whole house of labor. so what i will tell you is, i don't know if you noticed, but

right now labor is not asleep at the wheel. they have awoken a sleeping giant because we are not going to take it anymore and i'm proud to stand with you, proud to fight with you. thank you for helping me get here and i will never ever ever walk away from working people. let's hope we get more people in congress that will do that. they need to do their job. >> yes, ma'am. thank you. thank you. >> [chanting] do your job! do your job. do your job. > who are we? >> afge. >> who are we? >> afge. >> who are we? afge. >> what do we want? >> 7.4.

all right. please help me represent -- welcome representative greg because our, a representative of the oversight committee working hard to produce -- protect our department of agriculture, employees and food safety. he's a staunch advocate for working people and thus since his days on the austin city council. help me welcome representative greg . >> on the hill, at the door, what do we tell them? on the hill, at that door, what do we tell them? what do we want? >> 7.4. >> what we want? >> 7.4.

>> and when they say they don't have the money for it, no one can smell the bs like we can. we know the money is there. the other day we saw they spent hundreds of billions of dollars to corporate donors. they said they wanted us to work on this bill, they say they care about inflation and working people. the first bill they asked me to vote on as a member of congress is to cut irs agents that go after corporate tax sheets. boo. they always find money for their billionaire buddies and money when it is to wage war to hurt people. but we know the money is there to pay the everyday person doing the work protecting this country. that meat does not get inspected on its own peer at the workplaces don't get inspected on their own.

people don't get social security checks on their own. that health care is something people fought for. it is time for the u.s. congress to do our job. do your job. do your job. i think it's ridiculous. i came here from texas wanting to make sure that we took care of working people and got rid of right to work for less laws and make sure people can bargain a fair contract and have a more fair economy. instead we are showing up and saying don't shut down the entire u.s. government. that's what we are fighting over, really? the reason is because they are the arsonists and try and blame the firefighters for the flames. are we going to let them blame us for the flames? no. we will hold them accountable. we will expose --

>> do your job! do your job! do your job! >> so i may be a member of congress, but i'm also union through and through. so as we close out here, i asked, who are we? >> afge. >> who are we? >> afge. >> and we are with you all all the way. thank you. [applause] >> all right. all right. who are we? >> afge. >> all right. are you ready? please help me welcome a strong labor friendly representative, budzinski of illinois. for 10 years she fought with our labor brothers and sisters for united food and commercial workers an international associate or -- association of firefighters. she works with us and brought

home a tough seat in illinois. she sits on the agriculture committee to stand up for members every day. help me welcome congresswoman mika budzinski -- nikki budzinski. . >> thank you. it is great to be with you. wonderful to be at a union rally. i am a proud union member and proud to be endorsed and supported throughout my career by af ge and the hard-working men and women of your union. thank you so much. i want to talk about doing your job. you have my commitment that i will do my job. my job is, as you know, keep the government running. you work hard every day and you

deserve the pay at the end of the day for the work you've done and you don't make enough. you can count on me to do my job to raise your wage by 7.4%. and you can count on me to do my job to oppose a fiscal commission that some folks on the hill are thinking about that will cut your pay and benefits and reduce the impact fees of workforce we have that we desperately need. i will oppose a fiscal commission and stand with you absolutely. and i want to say i'm on the house veterans affairs committee. are there folks that work at the v.a.? thank you. thank you for the hard work you do. you are asked to do so much and not given enough, to do very important jobs for our men and women that have served. i want to say a huge thank you for all of you in the work you

do. i want to take a special moment of privilege to honor my sister april from my district and i want to share something with you . every member of congress has an opportunity to bring someone to the state of the union. i am bringing a member of the afge. april is coming with me. and what i hope you know in that is my respect for the work you do and issues that you fight for every day that i want those to be front and center for all of congress. thank you for joining me. have a good rally. >> all right. are you ready? brothers and sisters, i want to take a moment to recognize our sisters and brothers on the first rail wide -- nationwide flight attendant day of action.

they are doing actions at more than 30 airports and i want to raise our voice in solidarity. more than two thirds of u.s. flight attendants have contract negotiations right now. let's send them our solidarity. can you say it with me? go sisters, go brother. united for flight attendant rights. go sisters and go brothers. united for flight attendant rights. but who are we? >> afge. >> what do we want? >> 7.4. >> i can't hear you. >> we want 7.4. >> we want 7.4. i'm so happy you are here today. afge, i don't know what i would do without you because you always step up and take care of the job.

always on task. and today, we need to send a clear message to the congress of the united states and the senators of the united states of america that we can't take it no more. we want to be treated fairly. we want fair contracts and dignity and fairness on the job. we want to be paid what we are worth. 7.4. we are knocking on your door. 7.4, we are knocking on your door. ok. i don't know if you want to have a word or not, but if you do, i'm calling you out. all right. do you want to talk to the people? if it's up to me, i will keep talking.

don't ever say that everett kelley is long-winded right? , because you also may try to get the mic up right. i'll take it, i'll take it. ok. what are we here for? 7.4. what i'll be here for? 7.4. 7.4. afge i love you. i love you and there's nothing you can do about it. so don't even try. because we are what? we are who? who are we? afge. afge. the one and only. can't nobody knock us down because when we unify and stand together, we win. when we stand in solidarity, there is nobody and nothing that can come between us. right now we are telling congress, we want what? >> 7.4.

>> when do we want it? >> now. >> what do we want? >> 7.4. >> 7.4. listen. all right. ♪ >> ♪ for the union makes us strong. solidarity forever solidarity forever and the union makes us strong the union makes us strong solidarity forever ♪

>> let me hear you. >> ♪ solidarity forever, for the union makes us strong ♪ ♪ >> let me hear you. let me hear you. solidarity forever, for the union makes us strong. all right. ♪ >> all right. do y'all feel all right? i enjoy being in front of afge members. especially the day before valentine's day. listen brothers and sisters, our

next speaker has played active an active role in the labor movement serving as a student advocate for workers' rights for the past 50 years. he got his start in 1973, brother fred reverend. in the middle of the steelwork again wasted many positions during national vice president -- overseeing the union human rights department. in 2020, he was tapped to chair the cio task force on racial justice where i was privileged to work alongside him and groups of labor leaders to implement plans to address racism in our country and pull his -- police violence of black people. fred made history as the first black man to hold the position of secretary-treasurer of the afl-cio. under his leadership, the afl-cio has made great strides, afge please give a warm welcome,

an afge welcome, to my friend, my brother, the secretary-treasurer, fred redmond. [applause] >> afge is in the house. first of all, i want to thank my brother everett kelley for his leadership. everett is the inspiration of working families everywhere. there's no better advocate for federal workers and it is an honor to call you my brother. thank you, brother. good afternoon, siblings brothers and sisters. ,we are all gathered here today, we got folks from different unions and different walks of life to support federal employees. that's what we are here for. we are here to call on congress

to do what is fair. we are not here to ask them to do us any favors. we are not here to ask them to be kind. we are here to ask them to do their jobs and do what is fair. that's all. and we make that ask. we hold our heads up high. we can stick our chest out and make that ask because union members love this country. federal employees love this country. this is a nation that you serve every day with dedication, with pride. you care for our veterans. you serve our seniors. you protect our environment. you keep america healthy, safe, strong, and free.

you wake this country up every morning and took us to sleep at night. that's what you do. but there are some members in congress who have forgotten that. some members of congress only see u.s. ponds in their self-serving political game -- pawns in their self-serving political games. are you pawns? >> no. >> hell, no, you're not pawns. you are patriots. yes, sir. you are heroes. you serve the public day in and day out. and to do so with dignity, integrity, and professionalism. and today we're going to remind the congress of that. we will remember -- remind them it is high time for congress to give public servants the professionalism that you

deserve. we want respect. we want government workers to be able to do the work of the government. we want to put an end to the policies that attack your jobs and pay, your benefits. this labor movement, we have made this country great and we have had to fight tooth and nail to make it great. they haven't given us anything. we fought for every victory. we made jobs safer. we made health care more affordable and accessible. and we made sure that at the end of an honest days work, that there be honest pay. afge and the american labor movement, we are going to make damn sure that government workers get the honest pay that they deserve.

look, don't let nobody tell you anything different. a 7.4% pay increase, that isn't a lot to ask. not for the federal employees who love this country. you have contributed more than your fair share. now it's time for this congress to step up and contribute back. it's time to stop playing games. no more shut down threats. no more debt default threats. it is time to fully staff federal agencies and fund the government. it's time to pass the fair act. and it's time for all federal employees to have collective bargaining rights.

so let's use our voices today and make sure this country does not work without us. brothers and sisters, i respect all of you and the work that you do. the work that you do making this country grow every day. -- run every day. you don't owe the government anything, they owe you. let's not get this twisted. let's be clear. let's be precise. this is our moment and this is our country. we are strong, we are powerful, we are united, and when we rise up together as a powerful labor movement, we all win together. keep up the fight. hold your heads up high. we will win.

we will win. thank you very much. >> all right. all right. thank you. >> [chanting] we will win. we will win. we will win. [chanting] we will win. we will win. >> we will win. all right, all right, all right. all right. all right. all right, brothers and sisters now, i would like to introduce you to representative donald norcross of new jersey. he is the cochair of the congressional labor caucus and a dead -- dedicated to getting the word out about key labor issues. he's helped out when we need signatures or letters that support labor and he's a proud, card-carrying member of the ibew. let's give a warm union welcome to representative donald norcross. [applause] >> all right, how are we doing?

we got anybody from jersey in the house? well, you know, what we say, if are not, you got a problem with that? [laughter] listen, i spent 43 years in a labor union and ibew before get job. i will tell you, it has probably been a very long time, two union rallies in one morning here in washington. let's hear it. president kelly, great to see you again. unprecedented times. i know i'm preaching to the choir. shutdowns because you don't like the way things are working? are you kidding me? decide not to go to work and not pay people? we have a problem here, folks. we got a big problem.

talking with threats. the afl was at our labor caucus meeting we had at a democratic retreat. we created the labor caucus about a year ago. i never thought we would need it in the democratic party. but what has happened over the years is you sometimes forget about your family. and labor is fundamentally a part of the democratic party. we are here to remind everybody, what you do each and every day, it was a rough time during the pandemic. we lost loved ones. we lost workers. what we did not lose is the pride in being part of the union movement. we have this whole saying back in jersey. if you're not at the table, you're on the menu. land apparently they thought unions were not at the table anymore and they were going to

feast on them. you are here to tell them what? we are at the table. we are at the table. we are at the table. and we're going to make sure that it gets done, whether it is the fair act -- the fair act does exactly what it says. pay them what their due. you're not giving them anything. they are earning it. make sure this fiscal commission bullshit, no. you were elected to do something. do it in front of our faces. if it's a good idea, we will do it. but when you set up in the back rooms, you are not at the table. and you will be on the menu. great movements for labor unions. when i started as a business agent for the ibew, the ratings for unions were down here with

used car salesman and congress. today, members are up 74%. [applause] unfortunately, congress is still back down here. but we are here to stand with you. we have glenn ivey of maryland, who is one of us, who comes from us and understands it. we are just here to say we stand with you. we stand with you yesterday, i stand with you today, and most important we stand with you tomorrow. god bless you. [applause] >> stand up! >> fight back! >> stand up! >> fight back! >> all right. brothers and sisters, please help me rep -- welcome

representative glenn ivey of maryland. he's in his first term but has already done so much for members. he sits on the homeland security andi committee and fights for our rights against unconstitutional maneuvers. as a member of the homeland security committee, afg members count on him to stand up for collective bargaining rights. give a warm welcome to representative glenn ivey. >> how are you doing? you didn't let a little snow and cold weather stop you, did you? and you will not let a republican stop you either. that's right. the fair act will pass. 7.4% is long overdue. you all are the backbone of this government. when trump was in the white house, who kept it together? now we have the house republicans trying to run us into a ditch. 15 times have picked a speaker,

that's how bad it is. they tried to impeach new yorkers last week. you want to talk about clown show, they take it to the next level. the american people know they can count on you, no matter how dysfunctional house republicans may be, they can count on you. no matter how dysfunctional trump made the white house, they can count on you. and we will make sure you get the pay raise you deserve. my father was a federal employee back in the reagan era. and he tried to run the government into the ground then. but we withstood it and kept her going forward. we will keep the government and the country on the right track. keep up the great work and keep the faith. let's make it happen. have a great one. keep up the good work. >> all right. >>[chanting]

>> all right. we will remember in november. give me one more song over there. all right. ♪ >> dolly, dolly, dolly. all right. >> ♪ jump and shout and the blood starts pumping, out on the street the traffic starts jump in. the folks like me on the job from nine to five working nine to five what a way to make a living barely getting by it's all taking and no giving you don't mind, they never give

you credit it's enough to drive you crazy if you let it working nine to five service and devotion you would think that i would deserve a fair promotion 9 to 5 ♪ ♪ >> one thing i'm glad about, we do have friends in congress. we were scheduled to have two more congressional people here but they were scheduled to do some work that they could not leave. i want to apologize for that. but we still know that they heard us. did they hear us? what do we want? >> 7.4.

> and when do we want it? right now. we have to continue the journey. we have to rise up together and fight together every chance we get. we need to tell congress, we deserve 7.4. let me hear you say it. the last song here, you all know this, my national anthem. can you do that? frankie beverly. we are one. you don't have that? [laughter] >> 7.4. while they find it. can we do that? can we find it? we have to do that one time.

we have not played it. we are one. i know folks are upset because they know that's what i believe in and that song reminds me of afge. sometimes we don't act like we love each other. we get all confused. but at the end of the day, we are one. we are going to get that and then we go home. are we ready? here we go. let me see you.

everybody, everybody. raise the one hand up. a time of solidarity. we are one. think about your afg family. >> ♪ that's the way it is we are one ♪ >> listen, i would like to introduce representative john larson of connecticut. he's a member of the ways and means social security committee and champion of the social security 2100 act. he wants to ensure social security well into the future for us and the next generation

and without undue cuts of federal pay and benefits. half of the democrats in the house oppose a fiscal commission which would devastate social security, medicare and federal pay and benefits. please give a warm afg welcome to our friend, representative john larson. >> thank you, sir. thank you. thank you, mr. president. are you pumped up? we gotta fight on our hands. they are trying to go behind closed doors without hearing the 535 members of both houses. seven people will determine the fate of social security and medicare and federal employee pay. seven people. and guess what?

they don't have to have a public hearing. they go behind closed doors. they've got four people that are unelected, so-called experts. and then six from the senate and six from the house. three republicans and three democrats, from each body. bu only seven required to pass legislation that in the case of social security impacts 70 million americans. >> [crowd booing] >> we don't need a commission to study social security. what we need is a vote in congress on social security 2100 and not only extends solvency

but enhances benefits for the more than 70 million people, americans in the wealthiest nation in the world. 5 million of our fellow americans get below poverty level checks after having paid in all of their lives to a program, below poverty. 23 million americans pay taxes that under social security 2100 would be forgiven. they have a lot of talk about taxes over there for leaders of corporations. what about the people of america? what about those social security recipients? what about unfair practices put in long ago? i stand with president biden on that, who has called for direct repeal and payment. how are we going to pay for it? we are going to lift the cap on

people making over $400,000. i want you to do me a favor. raise your hand if you're making more than $400,000. funny thing about that, mr. president. everywhere i go, nobody raises their hand. that's because only 6/10 of 1% of america makes over $400,000. shouldn't they pay the same thing that someone making $50,000 or $75,000 or even 120 $5,000? of course they should. guess what that does? that extends solvency, for more than 30 years, but more importantly enhances benefits. when is the last time congress

enhanced social security benefits? 1971. richard nixon was president of the united states. 53 years and congress has not voted to enhance benefits. i love the cards you are taking around to people. i have one to take, every office that shows them just how much social security dollars come into their district and where those dollars go. they go to individuals. it's the greatest economic development program that we could have in this country. all of that money gets spent right back in your congressional district. they are not going out and purchasing stock options. they are buying food to put on the table. they are trying to heat their homes. god bless you for standing out here and taking a bite. we are with you all the way and lets pound on every door and

make sure everyone understands. i want to commend senator wyden for calling this out. he said, when you hear them say fiscal commission, it's a buzzword for cuts. i want to thank president biden and the white house, when they asked about it, they said that's a death -- debt panel, not commission. we stand with you in this fight. let's knock some sense into people over there and pass social security 2100. enhance benefits for people that have not been done in 51 years. god bless you and god bless america. >> thank you, sir. thank you. all right. are y'all all right? we are happy to welcome to the stage, the m.v.p. jeremy lannon.

>> are you fired up? i know we might be the feds, but we are fed the hell up. with the attacks on the social security administration, the fact that they are not even willing to give reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. it's a violation of the law. the understaffing at the v.a. and the blatant racism that takes place. we are fed up. the bureau of sexual assaults and attacks that take place on law enforcement officers is unconscionable. tsa, the bullying and micromanaging that takes place where they can't even get off work to spend time with their families. the list goes on and on. when i say fired up, you say fed up. fired up. >> set up. -- fed up. >> when i say stay, you say ready.

stay. >> ready. >> stay. >> ready. >> we are going to continue to stay afge ready. thank you, president kelley. >> thank you. all right. are you already? 7.4! 7.4! 7.4! we have a little marvin gaye ?over there do y'all feel like that? we have one more congressman. we just need to give him about three minutes. i feel like a little marvin gaye. i don't hear you. [applause] >> all right. they are getting us over there. the dj is on point.

ok. you want me to sing? we want folks to stay out here. ain't no mountain high. ♪ eight no mountain high ♪ >> ♪ >> all right. brothers and sisters, please help me represent -- well come representative maxwell frost of florida. the youngest member of congress, and showing the kind of staying power that someday may make him the dean of the congress.

he's been a fighter for social security. speaking on afge for members, and on the oversight committee, he stands up every day against untruthful allegations by the majority. please welcome representative maxwell frost. >> thank you. how is everybody doing? what's disgusting? unionbusting. what's going on here? am i at the right rally? what's disgusting? >> unionbusting! >> hello, afge. it's a blessing to be here this morning. thank god it's not raining. this year, it's not raining and i want to first off thank you all so much for doing your jobs and doing a damn good job at that. and now we need congress to do

the same, we need congress to do their jobs. we got this week, then we go home for a week, three more days, and then the government shuts down. i had heard zip from my republican colleagues on the plan from last week on how we will make sure you all stay in work and the government continues to function for the people which is why we were sent here in the first place. we cannot let the government shutdown. and here's the thing. my colleagues have created this laddered approach, two-part government shutdown. the reason they're doing this is they are trying to set themselves up politically, so if it shuts down, we have less talking points, is what they said. what i tell you is this, i don't care if it's a quarter of the government or half, we can't shutdown any part of it at this point, not with the housing

crisis we have. not with veterans being left out. not with retirees needing what they need right now. i just want to thank you so much. as i said on the house oversight committee, with some of your favorite people -- marjorie taylor greene. my bed, my bed. ad, my bad. let me tell you. i sit in these committee hearings and they are always coming after you all. they use different words. they say the bureaucrats of d.c. i say this, when they use the word bureaucrat, when they use the word bureaucrat like that, who they are actually talking about our civil servants. they are talking about working-class people making the government run and making it so we take care of our constituents

so we have to call them out for blood in attacks on unions and working families. it's not about bureaucracy. it's about the people who make the government work. my colleagues will spend all day on these committees complaining about government agencies. and then it comes to the vote, and they want to underfund it. defund the police and etc., but they want to defund the government. they want to defund social security and the irs. we need more resources. and i want you all to know i know you need help and i know you're doing the best job you can do with the resources you have. we understand for agencies to modernize, they need a hell of a lot more money to modernize with no risk to the people. we need to call out republicans on hypocrisy and fund the government. we need to make sure everyone

has health care and that we fight gun violence and do what we need to do. so thank you so much for having me here. god bless you all. in the words of congresswoman barbara jordan, what the people want is simple. a country as great as its promise. thank you for fighting for that promise every day. what's disgusting? >> unionbusting! >> thank you so much. >> thank you. all right. give it up for representative maxwell frost. i got a new one. what's disgusting? >> unionbusting! >> what is disgusting? >> unionbusting! >> listen, brothers and sisters. i think we have come to the close of this rally but i appreciate all of you for being here and supporting afge in this

initiative. we are going back to the hill and we want our voices to be heard and we want to let them know we don't want shutdowns. we want respect on the job. . i love you and don't forget at 2:30 this evening at the capitol room in the hotel, i will be the recipient -- recipient of an award and you are all invited to come back. thank you, and afge, i love you. thank you. ♪

>> ♪ solidarity forever

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