From the County: AFL-CIO should have endorsed Bob Harvie
NOTE: "From the County" is a new series I'm trying out that highlights short op-ed pieces from Bucks County residents.
By Mary Ann Adams, Newtown, PA
Mary is a retired nurse, working part time as instructor at BCCC. Resident of Bucks county her entire life, and has lived in Newtown since 2000. Bernie Sanders got her attention, but Trump has motivated her to join the Newtown Democrats.
Once again, the AFL-CIO endorsed Brian Fitzpatrick for re-election in our PA-01 Congressional district. What a joke! No Republican ever should get this endorsement. Trump has signed on to a no bid contract for his 600-million-dollar ballroom and none of the trade workers are union. Republicans are the party of the scab worker. This is a disgrace to the AFL-CIO. Their members need to know this as well as the people of PA-01.
Brian Fitzpatrick has never been a member of a labor union. Bob Harvie as a school teacher was in a union. Bob Harvie as Bucks County supervisor oversees government employees who are in a union. 75% of the county 2,600 workers belong to a union divided across 18 different collective bargaining units.
The reason the AFL-CIO gave for endorsing Fitzpatrick was that he voted for Bill 2550 on 12/11/25 to restore collective bargaining rights to Federal employees AFTER the Trump administration took them away. The vote was 231 to 195. ALL Democrats voted for it, but only 20 Republicans (of which Fitzpatrick was one). Voting for this bill was no profile in courage. Workers got back what the GOP never should have taken from them.
Fitzpatrick’s campaign recently put signs all over the district touting Harvie giving a 1% pay raise to himself. This proves Fitzpatrick is against labor. By law, part of Bob Harvie’s job, and a legal requirement, is to set future salaries for upcoming terms prior to an election year. 1% is the most modest increase and this vote was unanimous and bipartisan, but anti-labor Fitzpatrick would like you to think otherwise. Republicans have never been a friend to labor. Remember that when you vote in November.
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