Jim Wertz Says Higher Wages for Working Families Are Top Priority in Pennsylvania Senate Race

Jim Wertz, a teacher, father, and union leader, has pledged to address what he says are the top economic challenges facing families and workers across Erie and Pennsylvania in his race for Pennsylvania's 49th State Senate District.

Wertz is making workers’ rights and funding education central to his economic priorities and saying that he is committed to policies that would respect workers’ rights and strengthen schools. To achieve this in Harrisburg, Wertz says he supports and will defend the right to unionize, workplace safety, and higher wages. 

As a state home to a skilled workforce and best-in-class higher education, policies that sustain Pennsylvania’s education institutions and the economy are top of mind for voters. As a teacher, Wertz says he supports the state’s public education and the pipeline of workers it delivers to businesses and industries. To set Pennsylvanians on a path for success, Wertz says he supports higher education, trade schools, and union apprenticeships to build workers as strong as the Keystone economy.

Local news stations across Pennsylvania employ hundreds of Pennsylvanians and are a lifeline for residents to get basic information in their daily lives. Wertz says his experience as a union broadcaster and production manager for local Erie news outlets has provided him with insight into the economic landscape and the needs of workers and families. Having founded his own production company and served as a teacher, Wertz says he is committed to the next generation of leaders and ensuring economic opportunities.