Who do we mean when we talk about workers?

Who are the workers?

What image is invoked in your mind when you read or hear “WORKER”?

Do you think of a middle aged man, hustling to a work site before the sun has a chance to shine for the morning? Or, do you think of the professionals crowding subways or interstates in rush hour commutes? The better question is, do you think of yourself as a worker?

Here at the Institute, when we say worker, we are referring to people who get their income from a paycheck, not a trust fund or an investment portfolio. These are people who work for their living; folks trying to build a better life for themselves and their families. So chances are, you are a worker – one of the millions of people who power this country’s economy.

You could absolutely be a hard-hat wearing, card-carrying member of a local union working in the local factory or utility company. But you could also be a marketing professional building your business one business card at a time.

Maybe you are a barista who opens the coffee shop at 5 am or a customer service agent; a nurse working the night shift at the local hospital or a part of the janitorial staff ensuring that the hospital is cleaned and disinfected.

We are talking about you.

We also include people working various gig jobs to piece together their living. We know so many people are working multiple jobs as an opportunity to supplement their wages or just to make ends meet. We see you. And we acknowledge that caregivers are workers.

So it would stand to reason that you too would get your fair share of the gains that this American economy produces.

All work has dignity.