Washington, D.C. -  Labor Day is a time to reflect on and celebrate the hard work and indomitable spirit of workers that drive our economy. Sadly, however, there is little for working families to celebrate. Under the Bush Administration, gas prices are up, real wages are down, inflation is on the rise, tax cuts for the wealthy few are bankrupting America, and workers have experienced unprecedented assaults on their rights. Five years of failed Republican policies that ignore the needs of working families have contributed to more than five million Americans slipping into poverty.

Republicans in Congress have lowered standards for worker health and safety and approved free trade agreements that export valuable American jobs to countries that blatantly ignore international labor standards. They have refused to raise the minimum wage without tacking on tax breaks for the wealthy. The anti-worker policies of the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress have taken a toll on our economy and our families. America's working families need policies which protect workers' health and safety - not which undermine their rights and export their jobs.

Working families in America need a new direction for economic security. Future generations should understand the promise and enjoy the benefits that come with hard work and perseverance, not the empty promises today's workers are receiving. This Labor Day we should recognize workers and their rights, and together fight for a new direction for working families.