Pro-Democracy Movement Must Center Workers to Stop Authoritarianism

Marches alone won't beat fascism; the movement has to fight where working people already fight, says organizer.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:58pm

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring a crowd of protesters marching with signs, the figures repeated in overlapping, geometric waves of bold colors, conveying the energy and momentum of the pro-democracy movement.A vibrant, fractured illustration captures the energy and momentum of the pro-democracy movement as it seeks to unite working people in the fight against authoritarianism.Los Angeles Today

Neidi Dominguez, the founding executive director of Organized Power In Numbers (OPIN), argues that to successfully counter authoritarianism in the U.S., the pro-democracy movement must recognize working people's daily struggles as central, not separate from the fight. She says winning material gains like higher wages, stable schedules, and a voice on the job is key to building the solidarity and political power needed to beat fascism.

Why it matters

Dominguez believes that for the pro-democracy movement to translate marches into a sustainable movement, it must connect with the real-life concerns of working people, from wage theft to housing costs. She argues that when labor and democracy are bound together, that's the force that can stop authoritarianism from taking hold.

The details

Dominguez, a veteran organizer who has helped lead campaigns for DACA and organized car wash workers in LA, says lofty speeches about democratic norms don't move working people - winning does. She says fighting for power at work, increasing the minimum wage, lowering utility bills, and providing free healthcare are the same as fighting for democracy. Dominguez cites her experience organizing car wash workers, who after years of organizing, won a union contract with bathroom breaks and better wages, building a network where workers understood their rights.

  • Last month, 8 million people marched in the largest single-day protests in US history for 'No Kings 3'.
  • Dominguez and labor/community organizations are planning a day of action on May 1 around taxing the rich, protesting ICE and illegal wars, and expanding democracy.

The players

Neidi Dominguez

The founding executive director of Organized Power In Numbers (OPIN) and a veteran organizer who has helped lead campaigns for DACA and organized car wash workers in Los Angeles.

Organized Power In Numbers (OPIN)

A community organization founded and led by Dominguez that has reached more than 27 million poor and working-class people in the Sunbelt over the last six years.

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What they’re saying

“Signing a union card is often where working people who have been systematically disenfranchised first experience democratic power. They vote on contracts, elect leaders, and make collective decisions. Winning stable schedules, workplace protections against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, or living wages teaches people that power doesn't only belong to employers and landlords. It can belong to them.”

— Neidi Dominguez, Founding Executive Director, Organized Power In Numbers (OPIN)

“When President Donald Trump tells workers they're poorer because immigrants took their jobs and no bold labor movement responds, the resentment goes toward scapegoats instead of the billionaires responsible. That's how authoritarianism grows.”

— Neidi Dominguez, Founding Executive Director, Organized Power In Numbers (OPIN)

What’s next

Dominguez and labor/community organizations are planning a day of action on May 1 around taxing the rich, protesting ICE and illegal wars, and expanding democracy.

The takeaway

To successfully counter authoritarianism in the U.S., the pro-democracy movement must recognize working people's daily struggles as central, not separate from the fight. Winning material gains like higher wages, stable schedules, and a voice on the job is key to building the solidarity and political power needed to beat fascism.