Schatz meets with labor union to discuss federal priorities, protecting workers’ rights

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) met with labor union members on Wednesday at a town hall hosted by the AFL-CIO. Schatz discussed recent federal actions concerning union workers’ rights and took questions about the local impacts of federal policies, including tariffs and funding freezes.

“I’m always proud to stand with labor unions who are fighting for working people every day,” said Schatz. “Hawaiʻi has a rich history of unions making workplaces fairer and people’s lives better, and today was a chance to hear from union members directly about what they need and how we can work together to support workers.”

Earlier this year, Schatz introduced the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, a bill that would provide federal employees with a 4.3% pay increase in fiscal year 2026. The FAIR Act’s wage adjustment restores years of lost wage increases for federal employees in Hawaiʻi and across the country.