The United Auto Workers Region 9 (covering most of Pennsylvania) is supporting the state’s HB 888, which would abolish the death penalty in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians Against the Death Penalty Executive Director Kathleen Lucas announced.
In a press release, Lucas said that the union “cemented its commitment by making this critical reform a core component of its 2025 legislative priorities.”
When he introduced HB 888 earlier this year, state Rep. Russ Diamond said the bill “reflects a commitment to the sanctity of human life and the pursuit of a justice system rooted in fairness, accountability, and compassion.” Diamond cited several examples of how the death penalty “fails to meet the practical and moral standards of justice and equality,” including the risk of wrongful conviction, its disproportionate application to people of color, the economically disadvantaged, people with mental health challenges, and those with intellectual disabilities.
“The UAW Region 9 decision to actively champion the end of the death penalty in Pennsylvania is a pivotal moment for justice reform,” PADP’s Lucas noted. “The UAW’s powerful voice for working families adds significant momentum to our efforts.”
PA Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in 2015, and current Gov. Josh Shapiro pledged not to sign an execution warrant and called for legislators to repeal capital punishment when he took office in 2023. The state’s last execution was in 1999. There are currently 108 people on death row.