What I asked Martin O'Malley

Cathy Halgunseth
Chief administrator, North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs
North Dakota United

In my state, like some others, teachers and other school employees have collective bargaining rights. But public employees don't. This week, I got to travel to Washington, D.C., and participate in the discussions that three presidential candidates had with the AFT executive council. I was able to raise our concern about our lack of bargaining rights when I asked former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley this question:

"Public services work best when workers are empowered through collective bargaining, yet only half of the states allow workers to bargain with their employer. I live in one of those states—North Dakota. As president, what would you do to strengthen collective bargaining at every level of government?"

Gov. O'Malley was very passionate about wanting to bring collective bargaining rights to more workers, and he talked a lot about his success with this when he was the governor of Maryland. Public employees are such a key part of bringing vital services to our communities. We are on the front lines at every level of government. We need to have a voice in our workplaces on wages and working conditions. This would be a big step toward making me and my colleagues feel valued and feel that our work is important.

I've been very active in politics and elections in my state. One thing I've tried to tell people is that government can't be run like a business because it isn't a business. Governments have to care for all their citizens. It's important to have candidates who see the value of public services. I would love to see more candidates who embrace the fact that we are part of the solution and believe our voices should be heard.

I think that a vote for an AFT-endorsed candidate is a vote for someone who believes that workers in this country are important. Issues such as student loan debt, affordable healthcare and lagging wages need to be addressed by people with solutions that raise people up and don't drag them down.