Bernie Sanders Quotes

The Church fully supports the right of workers to form unions or other associations to secure their rights to fair wages and working conditions.

And I think we understand we cannot make social change for all workers until we have enough strength, membership strength, and at the same time having membership strength and only making change for a limited group of workers is not what our country really needs for people that work.

I will only stop defending the rights of workers when I die.

The picket line is the best place to train organizers. One day on the picket line is where a man makes his commitment. The longer on the picket line, the stronger the commitment. A lot of workers think they make their commitment by walking off the job when nobody sees them. But you get a guy to walk off the field when his boss is watching and, in front of the other guys, throw down his tools and march right to the picket line, that is the guy who makes our strike. The picket line is a beautiful thing because it makes a man more human.

There are only two ways to bring about protection of the workers, however, legislation and unionization. So far the majority of the people in this country seem to favor unions as a more democratic and elastic method, though certain things must be dealt with by legislation

Unquestionably unions and their leaders are not always wise and fair any more than any other human beings. There are only two ways to bring about protection of the workers, however, legislation and unionization. So far the majority of the people in this country seem to favor unions as a more democratic and elastic method, though certain things must be dealt with by legislation.

South Carolina is a 'right to work' state - a misnomer of a phrase, as the laws limits union representation of workers. It does does not guarantee workers a job or fair wages and conditions.

I was an organizer in the Food, Agricultural and Tobacco Workers Union down in North Carolina.

Although unions may be good for a worker, singular, they are not always good for workers, plural. Especially when it comes to finding a job.

The question is always 'What is the role of a labor movement?' How much is about collective bargaining, how much is about social change for all workers?

Organized labor, if they're doing a responsible job, is going to organize the pooling of small amounts of money to protect the interests of the people who are not rich.

Trade unionism is not a discovery or a formula. It grew and evolved slowly out of the needs of human experience.

They only ask for a fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work.

The rights and interests of the laboring man will be protected and cared for—not by the labor agitators, but by the Christian men to whom God in His infinite wisdom has given the control of the property interests of the country.

Unions may also legitimately resort to strikes where this is the only available means to the justice owed to workers

There can be no distress, there can be no hard times, when labor is well paid. The man who raises his hand against the progress of the workingman raises his hand against prosperity.

The only way a workingman can get anything is by collective bargaining, and by saying "If you don't give us a raise, not only will I quit but we will all quit and tie up your business

Labor unions are the worst thing that ever struck the earth because they take away a man's independence.

The global economy shall not run without the consent of the workers….We demand fair trade, not free trade.

I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to...I like the system which lets a man quit when he wants to and wish it might prevail everywhere.

We want nothing about what is said about abolishing property rights, rather we respect them. But work is the only property of workers, and therefore we want laws to protect the only property of workers, his manpower

If there is to be peace in our industrial life, let the employer recognize his obligation to his employees

The labor movement has lifted more people out of poverty than all the programs in the country.

With all their faults, trade-unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in man, than any other association of men.

The right to organize is a fundamental right for American workers.