Public Employee Press

The World of Work
Your point of view
Question: Do you have any expectation for a change in direction of the country
now that the Democrats have taken control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate?

We are very separated from the rest of the world and have lost a lot of friends because of the Bush administration’s isolationist policies. We were building our image in the world and now all that is lost. We have to hope that with the change in Washington, a new set of policies will help improve our image, which has been hurt by the war.
—Vladimir Kobets
Associate Project Manager, Local 375

The Democrats appear to be better and for labor and the middle class. I am hoping that they will support higher wages. You got a lot of new conservative Democrats, and as far as abortion is concerned, they are like the Republicans, and they want to control the borders and keep a line on social programs. Let’s see what happens in a few years.
—Calvin Tucker
Highway Repairer, Local 376

I would hope that there would be some change in direction of the country, but I feel everything will remain the same. The prices of houses are high and everything is going up, but salaries are remaining the same. I would like to see government help people make more money and help people out with housing and health care.
—Michael Loffredo
Traffic Device Maintainer, Local 1455

It’s just so good and marvelous to see that we as a people have realized that something is wrong and done something about it by using our privilege to vote. The country is at war for what? A new regime has come in with new ideas and hopefully they will deal with this unnecessary war. We need more help for education and health care, especially for seniors.
—June Beckett
Retired Supervising Benefit Examiner, Local 1407