Labor Day 2026: NC Ranked Worst for Workers as More People Turn to Unions for a Better Life
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2026
NC AFL-CIO LABOR DAY STATEMENT: North Carolina Ranked as Worst State for Workers as More People Turn to Unions to Build Better Life
North Carolina’s largest federation of unions issues statement on NC working conditions and generationally-high support for labor unions
RALEIGH, N.C. – This Labor Day, working people across North Carolina are facing rising costs of living, stagnant wages, and some of the weakest worker protections in the country.
A new report from Oxfam America ranked North Carolina as the worst state in the country for workers for the 7th consecutive year, finishing behind Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Oxfam’s annual Best States to Work index evaluates 37 policies affecting working families, including fair wages, access to benefits like paid sick leave, and the freedom to organize for respect on the job.
“For too long, working people in North Carolina have been told to keep quiet, work harder and accept less while wealthy CEOs and billionaires make record-breaking profits,” said North Carolina State AFL-CIO President Braxton Winston. “This Labor Day, we’re saying we won’t settle for crumbs anymore.”
In the midst of a nationwide affordability crisis where even basic necessities feel too expensive, working people in North Carolina and around the country are turning to labor unions in order to build a better life. New data released by the AFL-CIO ahead of Labor Day found that 7 in 10 Americans support unions – the highest level of support in a generation – and that trust in unions far exceeds either political party. Nearly half a million workers joined unions last year – 92% of those new union members are under 40 and nearly half of all union growth came from Southern states.
The AFL-CIO’s survey also underscores the economic pressures driving workers to demand change: 94% of workers say things are too expensive, while 4 in 5 say their paychecks aren’t keeping up with the cost of living.
“It’s past time for leaders in Washington and the North Carolina General Assembly to prioritize working people over corporate CEOs and billionaires,” Winston said. “That means creating good jobs with better pay and affordable health care, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and making sure every worker has the freedom to join together with their coworkers to organize for a better life.”
This November, union members and working families across North Carolina are mobilizing to elect leaders who will put working families first.
“Working people are going to the polls to send a message loud and clear to politicians who would rather cater to billionaires than make our lives better,” Winston said. “No more rigging the system so it only benefits the few. Working people are the backbone of North Carolina, and together we have the power to build an economy that finally puts us first.”
Contact: Contact: Jeremy Sprinkle, 336-255-2711 / [email protected]
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The North Carolina State AFL-CIO is the largest association of local unions and union councils in North Carolina, representing over a hundred thousand union members, fighting for good jobs, safe workplaces, workers’ rights, consumer protections, and quality public services on behalf of ALL working people.