Labor Day – Powers For the People

Podcast: Labor Day, How Unions Are Organizing Arizona

Posted on September 11, 2021April 8, 2022 by Pamela J. Powers

Work has changed dramatically in the past 40 years.

In the 1980s, President Reagan busted the air traffic controllers’ union, corporations began closing factories and offshoring American jobs to countries with cheap labor, and trickledown economics dictated tax cuts for the rich and the dregs for the rest of us.

It the 1990s, banking deregulation paved the way for the Wall Street crash of 2008 by eliminating financial protections enacted after the Great Depression.

During the Great Recession, which dragged on for years, almost 9 million Americans lost their jobs. Unemployment hit its peak at 10% in 2009. Although, many governors tout robust recoveries from the 2008 Wall Street crash, the jobs Americans have today are dramatically different from jobs in the 1970s – before union busting, offshoring, and tax cuts for the rich became commonplace. Before politicians cared more about fundraising and getting elected, than about the people they claim to serve.

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Sept 2017 LD9 Constituent Update: News & Events

Posted on October 9, 2017November 17, 2017 by Pamela J. Powers

Michael Peel and Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley

My September update to constituents featured my Legislative Report card, which I expanded on in this blog post.

Since September was so full of events, I decided to publish the update in two parts. This is the fun part– the photo album of events.

Labor Day Picnic

Labor Day Tucson 2017 — Despite the sweltering heat, Jim and I had a great time at the Labor Day Picnic. We collected a lot of Clean Elections $5 donations and signatures. Here I am with LD9 chair Michael Dues.

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Labor Day Picnic on Sept 4: Come On Down!

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Pamela J. Powers

Come and join Jim and I at the Powers For The People booth at the Pima Area Labor Federation’s Annual Labor Day Picnic on Monday, September 4 at Reid Park.

The Labor Day Picnic is like homecoming for Jim and me. We have had a booth or attended the Labor Day Picnic nearly every year since we met– first with Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), then with Arizonans for a New Economy, for the past two years as a candidate for Arizona House, and this year as an elected representative. Two years ago, I collected my first signatures and $5 Clean Elections Qualifying Contributions at the Labor Day Picnic.

There are five ways you can support my 2018 re-election campaign at the picnic.

1- Sign my petition

If you live in LD9, I will have nominating petitions for you to sign at my booth. Please help me get on the ballot in 2018.

2- Give Me $5 for Clean Elections

Yes, I am running clean again and looking for $5s. Running clean is part of my value system. I believe that elected officials should answer to the voters– not to big money donors, lobbyists, political action committees, or dark money. Clean candidates have no strings attached because we accept only modest donations from real people. I will have $5 Clean Elections Qualifying Contribution forms at the booth on Monday. To qualify for Clean Elections funds and avoid trap of big money politics, I have to collect at least 200 $5 donations from LD9 voters . Please help me out, and bring a $5 to the picnic.

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#PowersForThePeople at Labor Day Picnic, Sept 5 (video)

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Pamela J. Powers

One year ago on Labor Day Weekend, I kicked off my campaign for the Arizona House to serve Legislative District 9. I officially announced by campaign that Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson (video here), and on Monday at the 2015 Labor Day Picnic, my husband Jim and I began collecting petition signatures and $5 Clean Elections donations.

This year, I am returning to the Labor Day Picnic as one of LD9’s nominees for the Arizona House.

As many of you know, both my Dad, James L. Powers, Sr., and my husband, Jim Hannley, were members of the United Steelworkers. Since I toiled in the pink collar ghetto my entire life, I never had the opportunity to join a union.

My campaign will have a booth at the 2016 Labor Day picnic. Stop by and say, “hi”. This year at our booth, Jim and I will be honoring our relatives who were union members and collecting names of people who would like to volunteer to help the campaign.

Remembering the Teamsters struggle that was ongoing last year, here’s a video I shot of the labor demonstration at the Rondstadt Transit Center in September 2015. Solidarity forever.

Happy Labor Day, Tucson!

Posted on September 9, 2015September 9, 2015 by Pamela J. Powers

Standing here with Eduardo and other local Steelworkers. My Dad and my husband were both Steelworkers.

Not ones to let grass grow under our feet, my husband Jim and I attended the Pima Area Labor Federation’s (PALF) 19th Annual Labor Day Picnic.

Usually we’re tabling at the Labor Day picnic, but this year, we circulated among the crowds of unionists, family members, and supporters and gathered signatures and $5 Clean Elections contributions. I had a great time talking with people at the different booths and reminiscing about my Dad’s days in the SteelWorkers in the 1960s. I was raised union, and I stand with them.

The picnic was HOT as usual but well attended. It’s is always a fun family event with tug-of-war, a hot-dog eating contest, dancing, and kids’ activities. And, of course, there are always fiery political speeches. This year, unionists were particularly riled up about the Teamsters’ bus strike in Tucson.