Rhode Island Working Families
The Rhode Island Working Families Party is creating a powerful political force that will make the real needs of working families the priority of our government. We work to elect candidates committed to economic, racial, social, and environmental justice and hold elected officials accountable to these core values — Democrats and Republicans. We use the power we generate through our electoral and organizing work to win tangible victories that make a real difference for working families.
MoreIn Rhode Island, we aren’t an official or third party, but we seek to fulfill some of the core functions the major parties have abandoned — articulating a clear, bold set of values, making clear to voters which candidates are advancing those values, providing a political home for motivated activists, and finding, training, recruiting, and supporting candidates who champion those values.
WFP is still relatively new to Rhode Island, but our model is already making powerful change and advancing working families priorities. In 2016, we won six new seats for progressive legislators — including defeating four conservative Democratic incumbents. Using this momentum, in 2017 we fought for and won a statewide paid sick days law that will give 100,000 Rhode Islanders earned sick days. And that is just the beginning.
What We Believe:
Rhode Island Working Families Party believes in economic justice, including wages that ensure a decent standard of living, strong basic working standards, robust unions, leveling the playing field between the rich and the poor, a progressive tax system, and strong public services.
Rhode Island Working Families Party believes in social and racial justice, fighting for women, people of color, LGBT individuals, and immigrants. We are committed to tackling the systems and structures in our state that have perpetuated oppression, including protecting reproductive choice, remaking the criminal justice system, and protecting immigrant members of our communities from federal threats.
Rhode Island Working Families Party believes in environmental justice and taking bold action to address climate change, including expanding renewable energy, protecting natural resources, and protecting the health and safety of the communities who have suffered the most from fossil fuels.
Affiliate Organizations:
32BJ SEIU, District 615
Carpenters, Local 94
Demand Progress
Planned Parenthood
SEIU Healthcare 1199NE
Teamsters Local 251
United Auto Workers Region 9A
United Nurses and Allied Professionals
THE LATEST FROM Rhode Island:
Rhode Island WFP Wins Earned Sick Days for 100,000 Workers
Ninety percent of Rhode Island workers will now have access to paid sick days. ... More
Earned Sick Day Legislation Introduced in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE - On Tuesday, an earned sick leave bill was introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly intended to benefit nearly 170,000 workers, more than 40 percent of private sector workers in the state. The Healthy and Safe Families and ... More
Rhode Island Working Families Scores Victories in Legislative Races
Rhode Island Working Families Scores Victories in Legislative Races Progressive organization is changing the conversation about how politics get done in Rhode Island PROVIDENCE – In their first year, Rhode Island Working Families scored several electoral victories and is changing the conversation ... More
General Election Endorsements and Update
Marcia Ranglin-Vassell and Jason Knight are two of the great champions for working families that won their primaries in September. Now, the conservative incumbents they beat are waging write in campaigns against them in November citing their ability to ... More
Huge wins for Rhode Island
Last night was a huge night for champions of working families’ priorities. It was also a great first election for the Working Families Party in RI. We should be very proud of gutsy endorsements we made of champions for working families ... More
WFP Endorses Hillary Clinton
Read this article on Medium. With the support of 68% of our membership and the backing of our national board, we’re announcing the Working Families Party’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President. WFP was an early, enthusiastic supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders’ ... More
Six Progressive Champions!
Working Families Party is still new to the Ocean State but they are looking to be a major force in this cycle’s legislative primaries for candidates ... More
Cutting Corners Could Cost Us Our Water
Providence City Hall is considering privatizing our water supply to make a quick buck. And families like yours and mine could be stuck paying for it. ... More