(Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from a column written by the presidents of AFSCME, AFT and SEIU. To access the column in its entirety, click here).
The core principle of organized labor in America has always been a commitment to fairness and opportunity for all working people – it’s why collective bargaining agreements have long included robust and durable protections that reflect a commitment not only to union members, but to the common good of all our communities and the people who live and work in them. And it’s why our unions – on behalf of 4.9 million workers – are announcing the Labor for Equality Council, a group of unions dedicated to these issues, and to passing the Equality Act to ensure all LGBTQ workers and their families feel safe and welcome in their neighborhoods, on the job, and beyond. …
More than 18 international unions and the AFL-CIO have endorsed the Equality Act, and 90 percent of all union members in America belong to a union that supports the legislation. LGBTQ rights and labor rights are intrinsically linked – our movement historically has stood on the front lines of some of the most important fights for justice, and we believe wholeheartedly in equality and justice for all people, regardless of who they are, where they live, and who they love.