Vice President Biden to Public Workers: ‘We Owe You’

by Clyde Weiss  |  June 20, 2012

Vice Pres. Joe Biden

LOS ANGELES — Vice Pres. Joe Biden, responding Tuesday to attacks on public service workers by GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and right-wing lawmakers, told delegates of AFSCME’s 40th International Convention that they deserve unwavering respect for the work they do.

“You provide the safe neighborhoods, you provide the good schools, you provide the school lunches, you provide the day care centers, you provide the hospitals, you provide the roads, you provide the ability of people to live a decent middle-class life. We owe you.”

AFSCME members have endorsed Pres. Barack Obama and Vice President Biden for re-election and will doorknock, phonebank and rally to get out the vote this fall.

Biden had sharp words for the right-wing’s assault on working families. Those who want to undermine labor and reduce public services “don’t get we’re the most professional, disciplined and well-trained workers” in America.

Romney and his supporters are “insisting on keeping a $4 billion-a-year tax cut for oil companies – a subsidy the oil companies say they don’t need,” Biden said. He pointed out that money could be used to double the amount of child care provided in the U.S.

He thanked AFSCME for speaking up for all working families.

“You’re not just in this fight because of your job. You’re in this fight because you care about the families that live next door.”

See Vice President Biden’s full address here, and watch excerpts below: