I am a high school senior who will be starting my college career in September. I am writing this letter to express how the labor movement supports the needs of all working families.

My family has been involved with organized labor for several generations, starting with my grandfather and continuing with my father. Being union members has always enabled my family to be fairly compensated for their hard work. This will go a long way toward helping my family contribute to my college education.

This is not the only way that the labor movement helps to support working families like mine.

The union has also helped to provide excellent medical benefits for our family, which has ensured that we always have had access to proper health care. When it comes time to retire, the union pension and annuity plans help ensure that you can continue to have the financial security necessary to help meet your obligations.

As I look to the future, I hope to continue my family tradition by becoming a proud union member when I start my career after graduating college. I feel that the labor movement is extremely important to the future of all working families.

Alison Tantillo

Kinnelon

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey labor movement supports our working families