OUR MISSION
The US Economy is strong.
Since 2020, the United States has witnessed substantial job growth, with a notable emphasis on revitalizing middle-class manufacturing jobs. In the aftermath of the pandemic-induced economic downturn, the country has seen a steady increase in employment across various sectors.
USA Works exists to promote the importance of workers rights and the impact that labor has on our economic growth and middle-class. Our mission is to share news and case studies and accurate data on the economic growth in the United States with community leaders, businesses, and workers across the country that want to continue supporting a stronger economy that will reach every family in America.
ADVISORS
MICHAEL MATTHEWS
Michael Matthews is the founder of Michael Matthews Consulting. Michael Matthews Consulting's clients include high-tech companies, unions, political organizations, and nonprofits. Michael Matthews Consulting provides an array of grassroots organizing capabilities, keen political strategic advice, and results-oriented project management.
Michael was previously public policy director of Meta/Facebook.
Michael has over 30 years of campaign, political, and grassroots organizing experience. He served as Political Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the 2002 election cycle and the 2000 Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign. From 1997 to 2001, Matthews directed the national political training program for the AFL-CIO.
Michael's expertise has been sought after by numerous high-profile clients, including NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Education Association, Project New America, Catalist, the Building & Construction Trades Department (BCTD), National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Democratic National Committee. His strategic advice and project management have consistently delivered results, instilling confidence in his clients.
His involvement in historic elections marks Michael’s career. In 1986, he managed former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy's first congressional campaign, a groundbreaking moment as Mr. Espy became the first African American elected to Congress from Mississippi since Reconstruction. Similarly, in 1997, as the general consultant for Harvey Johnson Jr., Michael played a pivotal role in another historical election when Mr. Johnson became Jackson, Mississippi's first African American mayor. These achievements inspire others to strive for similar milestones.
Michael is a former partner with a national political and field organizing consulting firm whose clients included Obama for America and numerous campaigns and organizations, including the AFL-CIO and many affiliated unions.
SCOTT SHALETT
Scott Shalett has spent his life working on policy and civic engagement in communities across America. He has deep experience at every level of government and has been an advisor to nonprofits, businesses and civic organizations.
His government experience includes working as the Chief of Staff for Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu and the Director of City Council Relations for then-New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial. His campaign experience includes working at the Democratic National Committee as the head of the southern political desk in 2000, the director of then-Vice President Al Gore’s get-out-the-vote effort for the 2000 Iowa Caucuses, as Field Director for then-U.S. Senator Carl Levin’s (D-MI) re-election campaign, and as a strategic advisor to the Democratic Governors Association in the 2002 cycle.
JIM SYPE
Jim Sype has served as the North Central Region Political Director for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) since 2007.
His role includes assisting IUOE Locals develop member communication programs, promoting legislative priorities, fighting anti-worker bills, recruiting, training and electing IUOE and other union members to political office. In addition, he assists Local Unions with increasing the IUOE political footprint through traditional electoral activities. Prior to working for IUOE, Sype worked on several electoral campaigns. His campaign experience spans political jurisdictions and his work on those races ranged from volunteer roles to manager.
Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson has been designing and implementing communication plans for political and advocacy groups for 25 years. Over the years, Jim has managed every aspect of these plans, including the qualitative and quantitative research, message development, production and delivery.
Jim directed paid voter contact programs for the Political Department of the AFLCIO from 1989 through 1992, and from 1995 through 2001. At the AFL-CIO, Jim was responsible for a complete overhaul of Labor’s political communication and managed the largest on-going voter contact program in the nation, working with every affiliate union, state federation and central labor council.
In 2001 Jim was a founding partner in Bynum Thompson Ryer - a full-service communication firm that has provided communication strategy, message development and production for a wide range of clients, including political candidates, labor unions, referenda, non-profit organizations and corporations.
Thompson Ryer Strategic Communications clients continue to include unions from across the movement, including public sector, building trades, and manufacturing unions.
