Good evening NAACP and union family. I’m honored to be here today and declare, as the first Black president of the Communications Workers of America, that CWA and the labor movement is “All In”! We’re “All In” when it comes to social justice. “All In” for protecting the working class. And we’re “All In” when it comes to combining the strength of both the labor and civil rights movements! I’d like to take a moment to thank President Derrick Johnson for inviting me, all my fellow board members for your hard work, and my fellow members of the NAACP Labor Committee. I’d also like to acknowledge NAACP Labor Committee Chair Robin Willians and Vice-Chair Ray Curry. I don’t have long so I’m gonna get straight to the point. The labor and civil rights movements are intertwined both fighting for political, social, and economic equality. We cannot have a strong labor movement without attention to civil rights, nor can we have a strong civil rights movement without economic justice. Last year, at the beginning of my presidency of CWA, we were celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, which brought back memories of Dr. King’s inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech and its promise of a more just and inclusive America. But many forget that the stated purpose of the march demanded jobs and freedom: economic and social justice. It was Dr. King who reminded us, “What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t earn enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee?” According to the Economic Policy Institute, union membership means a smaller racial wealth gap. Union membership boosts wages across the board, but the gains are even higher for Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ workers. Our collective bargaining agreements protect workers from discriminatory firings. No longer the “last hired, first fired” – Black workers, thanks to union membership, have someone in their corner. Strong, inclusive unions have helped Black workers finally start to catch up after three […]
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