PROBLEM STATEMENTS:

(a) As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, I stand with Unions 100%. I have a proven history of 40 years of active support and picketing with Unions. The attacks on Unions are a systemic attack on middle-class families and other thriving to have a better quality of life in the State of Tennessee. We can no longer place our knees on the necks of Tennesseans while living through inflation and a severe affordability crisis.

(b) As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, I envision an economy that is just and strong, sustainable, and equitable, where every job is good, every worker can join a union, and every family and community can thrive. Consequently, that is why I believe in the bottom-up and not the trickle-down theory of economics.

(c) A worker covered by a union contract earns 12.8% more in wages than a peer in a nonunionized workplace, on average. But unions don’t just help union workers; they help all workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract and retain the workers they need.

(c) On average, Hispanic and Black workers represented by a union are paid 16.4% and 12.6% more, respectively, than their nonunionized Hispanic and Black peers. The wages of women represented by a union are 9.8% higher than those of nonunionized women.

(d) Current law places too many obstacles in the way of workers trying to organize and gives employers too much power to interfere with workers’ free choice. It is therefore critical that policymakers enact legislation that restores a meaningful right to organize and collectively bargain, such as the Protecting the Right to Organize and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Acts.

(e) Unions do not just improve workers’ paychecks; they shape the social and political fabric of the communities they operate in and lift standards for both union and nonunion workers. Policymakers must enact reforms that restore a meaningful right to organize and collectively bargain. Rebuilding worker power is not just good policy; it is a democratic imperative in the face of authoritarian backsliding.

BENEFITS OF UNIONS:

Unions offer significant benefits to workers and state economies by raising wages, improving fringe benefits, and enhancing workplace safety. They also strengthen broader communities by reducing income inequality, promoting higher civic engagement, and fostering a robust middle class.

Higher Wages and Better Benefits

• Premium Pay: Union members generally earn higher wages than nonunion peers in the same industry.

• Health and Retirement: A much higher percentage of union workers have employer-provided health insurance and guaranteed pensions compared to nonunion workers.

• Spillover Effects: High union density often forces nonunion competitors to raise their wages and benefits to attract talent, boosting the overall economy.

Workplace Protections

• Job Security: Union contracts typically require "just cause" for dismissal, offering protection against arbitrary or unfair termination.

• Grievance Procedures: Workers have established, formalized processes to resolve disputes with management without needing to hire personal legal counsel.

• Safety: Unionized environments generally enforce stricter safety protocols, resulting in fewer workplace injuries.

Community and Democracy

• Reduced Disparities: Unions help close the wage gap between different genders and races.

• Civic Engagement: States with higher union membership typically see increased voter turnout and stronger democratic structures.

• Social Benefits: Strong labor movements frequently advocate for progressive state and local policies that benefit all working families, such as expanded family leave and better public education.

Explore the Economic Policy Institute to read detailed reports on how unionization impacts community and economic well-being.

Atwater's Goal and Strategies:

1. To build a stronger rapport with Unions across the State of Tennessee.

2. Bring all Unions to the table of engagement in my new Governor's administration.

3. I will be a people-oriented, community-centered Governor who embraces unions by signing legislation protecting collective bargaining, blocking "right-to-work" laws, and establishing state-level labor protections.

4. Reassess and revisit Tennessee's attempt to enshrine its Right-to-Work policy into the state constitution following the passage of Amendment 1, which was approved by nearly 70% of voters and officially went into effect. The amendment prohibits workplaces from requiring labor union membership or dues payment as a condition of employment.

5. Focus on model policy that requires employers receiving taxpayer-funded economic incentives to agree to safeguard the personal information of their employees and use the secret ballot in unionization elections as a condition of receiving those incentives.

6. I will sign landmark legislation giving workers the right to unionize under the state's employment board when federal agencies fail to do so, and sign bills allowing rideshare drivers to collectively bargain.

7. Expand worker rights by signing measures into law aimed at protecting current pay standards and workers' rights against federal rollbacks, and promote specific issues like warehouse quotas.

8. I will champion the union way of life and direct state funds toward major transit and infrastructure projects that heavily employ union labor.

9. I will actively stand with striking workers and openly back organized labor's efforts.

10. A former union member who would sign sweeping pro-worker labor legislation, bolstering bargaining power and workers' rights across multiple industries in his state.

11. I will join together to support major unionization drives, such as those led by the United Auto Workers (UAW).

12. As a lifelong advocate for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and a former teacher who understands the struggles of working people, I have stood hand in hand with strikers on picket lines. The AFL-CIO hailed me as a principled fighter and labor champion for decades.

13. I was a member of the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the U.S. with 3 million members. As a high school teacher, college Dean and NEA member, I had a track record of getting things done to make people’s lives better.

14. The United Auto Workers can testify to me showing up at a picket line alongside striking autoworkers for decades. While the American Federation of Teachers, as a former member, benefited from my work expanding collective bargaining rights for educators and others. I will bring that same energy and history to the table as the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee.

15. The Economic Policy Institute Report documents the strong correlation between higher levels of unionization and a range of economic, personal, and democratic well-being measures. In the same way unions give workers a voice at work, with a direct impact on wages and working conditions, the data suggest that unions also give workers a voice in shaping their communities. Where workers have this power, states have more equitable economic, social, and democratic structures.