Yves here. This article discusses a recent 2023 study revealing that merely 2% of state legislators in the United States come from working-class backgrounds. We previously published an analysis indicating that the number of hourly workers in elected positions is even lower:
This article serves as a call to action. Increasing the representation of laborers in office will require time and significant effort. While the task may seem daunting, the age-old saying from China resonates: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
By Roxanne D. Brown, the international president of the United Steelworkers Union (USW). Produced by the Independent Media Institute
Ryan Kominakis faced a turning point several months back when he opened his energy bill and decided to campaign for state representative in Indiana’s 4th District.
The bill, which had suddenly doubled due to excessive rate hikes, forced many struggling families to cut back on essential services, enduring a harsh winter in the cold.
This indignity pushed Ryan, a section griever with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1066 at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works, to take action. He had become weary of witnessing the state’s corporate-friendly leaders grant massive tax breaks to the affluent while average families struggled to survive.
It became increasingly clear to him that if ordinary people wanted a government that served their interests, they needed to elect more of their own.
“I still work 12-hour shifts and swing shifts on the shop floor,” Ryan emphasized, showcasing the distinct experience that separates him from his opponent, a 20-year incumbent and former airline vice president who infamously dismissed the public as “noise boxes.”
Ryan points out that the issues plaguing families extend beyond overwhelming energy bills. “Gas prices, food costs, and childcare expenses—everything is rising,” he remarked. However, his opponent is indifferent to these struggles, choosing to “legislate like a corporate executive,” even threatening to withdraw a town’s funding after the mayor criticized the soaring utility bills.
This scenario exemplifies how the privileged manipulate political power for their own benefit, leaving the rest of society feeling abandoned.
According to a 2024 study by Duke University and Loyola University Chicago, the growing influence of wealth in politics has resulted in many citizens lacking genuine representation.
About half of the U.S. workforce comprises tradespeople, craftsmen, autoworkers, miners, and other manufacturing professionals. Yet, as of 2023, less than 2 percent of state lawmakers came from working-class backgrounds, as revealed by researchers.
Only 116 out of the approximately 7,300 lawmakers in the study had backgrounds in manual labor, service industries, clerical roles, or labor unions. Interestingly, in ten states, researchers noted the absence of any lawmakers with genuine working-class experience.
A similar trend is visible in Congress and the Trump administration, which is filled with career politicians, ideologues, and wealthy tycoons who are disconnected from the everyday challenges of regular Americans.
The stark disparity between the privileged and the struggling is highlighted by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The hedge fund founder, worth an estimated $600 million, recently expressed his fatigue with discussions about rampant inequality, stating he was “sick of hearing” about the crisis, claiming that it was a thing of the past.
In contrast, working individuals—especially union leaders like Ryan—confront challenges directly, refusing to wish them away. They diligently work to produce results that impact their families and ensure their safety in hazardous conditions.
Having served as both a crew leader and safety advocate, Ryan prioritizes his colleagues’ well-being. His commitment extends to civic engagement, including volunteering with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, assisting fellow combat veterans facing similar struggles.
This mindset—along with the experience he brings—makes him an ideal candidate for public office.
“Leadership entails collaboration,” Ryan stated about his union activities. “Working with management is akin to reaching across the aisle to engage the other side.”
Support for his viewpoint is evident in the data.
A March study by Jacobin, the Center for Working Class Politics, and Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy found that union members advocate more vigorously for working-class interests than their nonunion counterparts, both during campaigns and after taking office.
Union members leverage their leadership abilities to foster connections within government, transforming their hands-on experience into credibility within influential sectors. This, in turn, helps build voter trust and drives electoral participation, according to the researchers.
As Ryan exemplifies in his decision to run for the Indiana Legislature, the path to achieving a government representing working people is straightforward.
We must construct it ourselves.
