Celebrating Labor Day

Today we celebrate Labor Day, which for many Vermonters is a day to relax, host a BBQ, maybe sleep in or catch up with friends. This day of rest at the end of summer was created to celebrate the successes of the labor movement in the United States and the contributions of workers to our country. The American labor movement has worked to advance higher wages & decent benefits, safer working conditions, and more equitable workplaces for millions of people over the past 100+ years.

These successes, however, have not been guaranteed, as powerful forces continually try to prevent workers from organizing or labor unions from bargaining with employers. To ensure that workers in Vermont are guaranteed the right to organize and collectively bargain, the Legislature has advanced Proposal 3, which I co-sponsored. This amendment to the Vermont Constitution “to provide that the citizens of the State have the right to collectively bargain” was introduced in 2023 and passed by two consecutive legislatures, as required for any proposal to amend the Vermont Constitution.

Now the Collective Bargaining Amendment will appear on the ballot and you will have the opportunity to vote on it this fall (read the full text of the amendment here). I urge you to vote “yes” on this important measure so workers in Vermont can be assured that no matter the political headwinds, they will always be able to organize and bargain for their wages and conditions of employment. I am a long-time supporter of organized labor, and am honored to be endorsed by Vermont AFL-CIO and Vermont-NEA. In the true spirit of Labor Day, please join me making a plan to vote for Proposal 3.

Back to School. Vermont schools are back in session! I hope it’s been a smooth start for everyone, despite a few bumps, such as a shortage of school bus drivers that has many districts scrambling. The new school year also means that cell phones are no longer allowed for students in schools, as 2025 Act 72 goes into effect, requiring schools to enforce a no cell phone policy. School boards are also required, under 2026 Act 125, to develop or update immigration protocols to protect all students by next school year and the Attorney General’s Office has released an Immigration Resource Guide for Students. Finally, school boards are working to meet the requirements of 2026 Act 170, which requires them form both cooperative education service agencies to share services and study committees this fall to formulate plans for merging school districts. For more about Act 170, read my post on consensus education reform.

College students are also coming and going, as Middlebury College students return to campus and local students scatter to colleges far and wide. This summer, two wonderful students worked with me on the campaign trail and have now headed off to college or a semester abroad. Their energy and insights were so wonderful as we talked with constituents across the district. Read Quincy Sabick’s piece about interning with my campaign: A Remarkable Young Woman’s Perspective. I also recommend this week’s cover article in Seven Days, “College Try,” about the Community College of Vermont, an oft forgotten higher education gem in Vermont. I hope college students, staff, and professors everywhere have a great semester!

Campaign News: Ways to Help.  With less than two months until Election Day, the campaign is really heating up! Here are ways to be involved to help me and Hannah Sessions:

1. Write a Letter. We need letters to the editor & Front Porch Forum every week from now until Election Day! Write to tell folks why you’re voting for both me and Hannah. Did I provide you information, help you access services, or work on a bill with you? Did I vote for legislation or introduce a bill that helped you? Please tell people how my hard work in the Senate has been good for our community. Thank you!
2. Virtual Phone Banks. Call voters for me & Hannah and Democrats up and down the ballot. Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00pm. Sign up for a phone banking shift that you can do from your own home.
3. Put Out Yard Signs. This weekend the Ruth & Hannah signs go up! Dig out your Ruth signs from past years, or if you have a high-visibility location and need a new sign, let me know and we’ll get you one.
4. Canvas Your Town. We’re continuing to canvass neighborhoods throughout the Addison District, so drop me a line if you’d like to help us knock on doors in your town.
5. Social Media. Our campaign will not be sending money to tech billionaires by buying ads on social media, but you can follow me on Instagram & amplify my posts there. During election season, I cannot post on Front Porch Forum for free, but you can post about my work or share links to my updates there!
6. Make a Contribution. Financial contributions are still needed to fund this campaign. The other candidates have all raised significantly more money than I have. You can donate online here or send a check to PO Box 343, East Middlebury, VT 05740.

See You at an Event! As always, I will be at lots of community events over the next several months. Below are just a few events I plan to attend throughout the next month. Please let me know if there are others I should add to my calendar. I hope to see you out there!

• Salisbury Candidates Forum – Tuesday, September 8 at 7pm, Salisbury Public Library
• River Party! with Addison County River Watch – Saturday, September 12
• Shoreham Apple Fest – Sunday, September 13
• Vergennes Opera House Renovation Ribbon Cutting – Thursday, September 17
• Addison Housing Works Annual Block Party – Friday, September 18
• Vermont at the Midterm Moment: A Conversation with State Leaders – Join me, Congresswoman Becca Balint, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Attorney General Charity Clark, and local youth leaders – Saturday, September 19, 10:30-12:00, Town Hall Theater
• Starksboro New Community Project Dinner – Saturday, September 19 at 5:30
• Rochester Democrats Annual BBQ – Sunday, September 20
• Bristol Harvest Festival – Saturday, September 26
• Mingle at the Museum – Saturday, September 26, Henry Sheldon Museum
• Hope in Motion Run/Walk – Sunday, September 27
• The Ford/Hill Project – Wednesday, September 30, Middlebury College
• Salisbury Library 125th Birthday Celebration – Saturday, October 3, 11:00am
• Homer Hulbert Memorial Dedication – Saturday, October 3, 1:00pm, New Haven

Thank you for all your support!

Photo Note: With constituents, and candidates Hannah Sessions and Tanya Byker, at the Ripton trash & recycling drop-off on Saturday morning.