Donald M. Payne: “I would like to thank the gentleman from New York for that kind introduction and for his consistent leadership on the…”

“I would like to thank the gentleman from New York for that kind introduction and for his consistent leadership on the CBC's Special Order hours. Tonight's topic is ``African Americans and the Labor Movement.'' It is an American story. Historically, union members have played a critical role in the civil rights struggles of the past, and the involvement continues today. When Dr. Martin Luther King was jailed for civil disobedience, it was unions and union members who came to the legal and financial aid of Dr. King. African American workers have played a pivotal role in strengthening our unions and our economy. The path to the middle class for African Americans has always been through union jobs. What we see is an erosion of that dream. People's ways of life--what they're used to, the levels at which they're used to living--are eroding. It is because there is an attack on organized labor in this country, for there are forces within this Nation that are eroding the quality of life for hundreds and thousands of Americans throughout this Nation. So I am really here to say and to point out to this august body that labor has been the pathway for many Americans--not just for African Americans, but for people of all walks of life--to live the American Dream. To own a home, to feed their children, to send them to school, to take care of their parents, to have health care, job security has all been through labor.…”