CTUL leader to attend State of the Union Address

Veronica Mendez, co-director of CTUL, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha/Center of Workers United in Struggle, will attend Tuesday’s State of the Union Address as the guest of Congressman Keith Ellison.

“Veronica is fighting every day to bring more opportunity to Minnesotans,” said Ellison, A DFLer representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.

“Her organizing at CTUL in 2014 brought Target to the bargaining table with workers who clean their stores and lifted the voices of some of Minnesota’s most vulnerable families. I’m proud to have Veronica join me in Washington to hear President Obama lay out his vision for 2015.”

CTUL is a Minneapolis-based worker center that organizes low-wage workers for fair wages, better working conditions, basic respect, and a voice in the workplace. Mendez said her presence will help call attention to the issues facing workers across the country.

“I am honored to attend the State of the Union address with my U.S. Congressman, Keith Ellison, who has amplified our voice in Washington by calling for policies to achieve justice for low-wage workers across the country,” she said. “In Minneapolis, he has stood with us at CTUL as retail janitors that clean Kohl’s and other big box stores as well as fast food workers who have courageously led the low-wage worker movement. Through our efforts we have won a number of changes to improve wages and working conditions for workers. All of us will continue to organize and fight until everyone can work with dignity and justice with a voice on the job.”

President Obama will give his State of the Union Address at 8 p.m. (Central Time) Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol. It will be carried on TV, radio and on line at the White House website.