Sisters and Brothers:
In the last edition of our paper, we published an article celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his historic fight for civil rights. We pointed out how those fighting for labor rights and for civil rights were and still are bound together through a history of struggle and support for each other. Members of unions marched together with Dr. King and his fellow civil rights leaders in their struggles for racial justice, just as Dr. King marched alongside union members in our struggles for economic and social justice. You cannot unlink the two.
What I think is so important to understand is that when we observe Black History Month, we recognize those shared struggles of so many of us for a belief we still hold and continue to fight for — the concept of equality for everyone, regardless of your skin color, your economic or social status, your nationality, your gender, or who you love. What our movement has always believed is that labor rights are human rights, and we all deserve to be treated equally, in the workplace, by our governments, and in our homes and communities.
When it comes to economic justice, our fights for civil and labor rights are even more important, as our goal has always been to lift up all workers out of poverty. Unfortunately, our country’s past history has meant that all too often those needing that lifting up are people of color and other groups, like women, who have been the targets of systemic discrimination.
We’ve all heard the old saying that ‘those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ That’s why it’s important to celebrate Black History this month, and to remind ourselves of the important struggles people have fought and are still fighting today to bring racial, economic, and social justice to those who have struggled simply because of the color of their skin. It’s why we are so proud to sponsor and belong to our “Constituency Groups” — groups whose missions align with ours, like the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), of which I am proud to be a longtime member.
When we support each other, we come out stronger. That’s why I am proud to recognize the struggles of our Black members, and recognizing that history, I am equally proud to stand and fight alongside them to make things better for our shared future.
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan, President
