CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Nov. 5, North Carolina voters will have the opportunity to elect a new labor commissioner. The current commissioner, Republican Josh Dobson, decided not to run for reelection after taking over from longtime commissioner Cherie Berry in 2021.
Voters will now choose between Democrat Braxton Winston and Republican Luke Farley.
Winston is the former mayor pro tem of Charlotte and Farley is a workplace safety attorney from Wake County. While both candidates have similar goals, they have very different approaches to achieving them.
Winston believes the role should focus on making North Carolina a better state for all workers.
“The labor commissioner's number-one job is to ensure that every worker goes home alive and safe at the end of the workday,” he said. “It also is there to make sure that everybody is getting all the money and all the wages that they earn.”
Farley shares a similar focus, emphasizing the importance of workers feeling comfortable in their jobs.
“The number one job of the North Carolina labor commissioner is to keep our working men and women safe and healthy, to make sure everybody goes home at the end of the workday,” he said. “For me, it doesn't end there. I want every worker to have a fantastic job to go to the next day.”
One of the biggest differences between the two candidates is how they plan to keep workers safe.
Winston said he believes he can cross party lines to advocate on behalf of workers.
“What is partisan about expecting to come home with a fair day's pay after a fair day's work, or being able to get a drink of water, or use the bathroom, or protect yourself from the hot sun?” he said.
Farley contends that stimulating a competitive job environment is key to worker safety.
“I believe the very best way to improve conditions for workers in this state is to create a hot job market,” he said. “I'd ask anybody to think about the times in your own working life when you were best able to negotiate with your employer for a higher salary, better benefits, or better leave time. That was when you had a hot job market.”
Another significant difference between the candidates is their stance on unions.
Winston is a staunch supporter.
“There's nothing more American than the idea and function of a labor union,” he said. “Unions are organizations of workers that come together to organize themselves. So I think it's the job of the labor commissioner, whether or not workers are part of unions, to stand with those workers.”
Farley believes the current laws regarding unions are appropriate.
“I think where we are with unions is exactly where we need to be,” he said. “Workers have a right to join and form a union if they want to. They also have the right not to join a union if they don't want to.”
Contact Ben Thompson at bthompson@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and how it impacts everyone with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.