Bernie Sanders Joins Striking Workers Ahead Of The Pope’s Visit To Congress
Senator Bernie Sanders addressed the striking Washington contract workers ahead of the pope’s visit to D.C. The strike is organized by a group called Good Jobs Nation, and commenced at 9:30 a.m. as the pope makes his first visit to the United States.
Senator Sanders marched in procession to the Capitol, along with the striking contract workers. The workers are trying to force Congress and President Obama to increase the minimum wage to $15.
There is no justice when people working in the US including in the Senate do not earn enough to take care of their families #FightFor15
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 22, 2015
Enough is enough. We want justice. We want fair pay. We want a union. @GoodJobsNation
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 22, 2015
Good Job Nations is hoping to capitalize on the pope’s visit to Congress.
Striking @GoodJobsNation workers in front of Capitol. #FightFor15 #WalkWithFrancis pic.twitter.com/AQvCDkhyUH
— TheFightBack (@thefightback) September 22, 2015
Senator Bernie Sanders has been advocating for a $15 minimum wage and has condemned coporations such as Walmart for allowing their employees to live below the poverty line. Sanders has praised the pope for his advocacy to end poverty and his stance for the regulation of capitalism.
Speaker @BernieSanders: no justice when U.S. Govt creates low wage jobs! #feelthebern #1u http://t.co/N6FDi4dNvB pic.twitter.com/T8YE9BqsGp
— Good Jobs Nation (@GoodJobsNation) September 22, 2015
Today, as we welcome Pope Francis to the US, I hope that Congress will heed his call for social and economic justice. #PopeInDC
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 22, 2015
In the past, the pope expressed the need for a fairer distribution of wealth in society. Pope Francis addressed to the Food and Agricultural Organization in 2013, stating, “A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply to close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table, but above all to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being.”
The pope’s visit to Congress has already caused some dissension among Republicans. Republican lawmaker Paul Gosar announced that he plans to boycott the pope’s visit to Congress, due to his views on climate change. According to the Hill, Gosar believes that he will not be the only Republican to do skip the pope’s address to Congress.
“Gosar said he knows of at least one other lawmaker who would skip the pontiff’s address in protest, but he declined to say who.”
The pope is set to address Congress for the first time on Thursday.
[Photo by Spencer Platt / Getty Images]
