Political Quotes

“It is a great honor for me to join and thank my colleague, Mr. Jeffries, for leading the Congressional Black Caucus' important discussion on achieving economic security through the labor movement. Labor unions played an important role in the civil rights movement. Today, the labor movement continues to be an important issue for African Americans, just as important as it was 50 years ago during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The labor unions and civil rights groups share the struggles of fighting for better pay and equal rights. The overall goal of this movement remains the same. We must invest in education, fair wages, and workers' rights. We must continue to fight for those in our community who are denied economic opportunity and equality. Labor unions are at the forefront of these endeavors. They ensure the gains that workers have made in the past are maintained and that workers' rights will be protected in the future. Union members have played a critical role in the civil rights movement, and their involvement continues today. Historically, the path of the middle class for African Americans was through a union job, and today unions continue to provide African Americans with economic security. You see, 13.3 percent of all union jobs in the United States are African American, despite African Americans only making up 11.4 percent of the overall domestic workforce.…”