When Assemblymember Claire Valdez joined the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez in the 7th Congressional District, she did so out of a desire to increase union representation in Congress. QNS spoke to Valdez about a range of campaign issues in a conversation last week. I had many conversations with colleagues within New York City, DSA, in the legislature, in my union – UAW. There’s only a handful of members who have any direct experience with labor movement, and I think it’s really essential that experience goes to Washington. The experience I’m bringing really is as a union organizer, as somebody who has defended my co-workers against Columbia University, a multi-billion-dollar institution.