Progress is Optional

The elephant in the room in our country - the issue no one wants to talk about - is how America is at a very big crossroads. People are anxious about their economic lives and their kid's future. They are falling further and further behind, and America seems to have no plan to address the needs of working families.

As I've often said, change is inevitable - progress is optional. We need a plan in America to make sure we make progress for people like those I spent part of my day with in Philadelphia, where I did some political campaigning with SEIU member organizers. These are union members who come off their jobs for six weeks to educate other members about candidates and where they stand on issues.

I campaigned with janitors and state workers, nursing home and hospital workers. They are the heart and soul of SEIU, and their love for their union and the spirit they have with their brothers and sisters is extraordinary.

I ended the day at a book event where lots of old friends and colleagues showed up, which produced a lot of reflection and nostalgia.

I first became a union member in Philadelphia. (How I became a union leader is a story I write about in the book.) It is quite a journey I have personally traveled from member to president of the fastest-growing union in North America. And the anchor and the joy of my job is the decency, courage and generosity of SEIU members.

Unions are a gift. They allow a state worker like me to join my strength with that of other workers to change lives for the better. I love my job, and I am excited about the opportunity I have each day to spend with SEIU members and to spread the message through the media of how we can make America a country that works for everyone.