History of BIPOC
Organizing
Although the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 allowed many workers to unionize, agricultural and domestic workers were left out. Most of those workers happened to be majority people of color, who would not be able to organize until the 1950's.
National Domestic Worker's Alliance
NDWA's 5 Main Strategies:
We organize domestic workers and develop leaders
We develop State, federal and local policy solutions
We change the story to shift key narratives and cultural norms
We use technology to solve for equity and dignity and innovate new solutions
We mobilize women of color voters
Domestic work makes all other work possible.
NAACP & Organizing Labor
NAACP's 2018 Resolution in Support of Unions
WHEREAS, to maintain a striving and viable community, good paying and high wages jobs are essential. This has been achieved with unionized jobs that give workers the right to participate in the democratization of their work place; and
WHEREAS, 4.7 million Black workers are currently employed in the hotel and food service industries. They would benefit from increased unionization and increased benefits in those industries in the United States more generally; and
WHEREAS, Black workers in low-wage occupations that are represented by unions earn on average $15.60 per hour as compared to non-union Black workers in low-wage jobs earning an average of $11.25 per hour; and
WHEREAS, Black union workers are more likely to have employer-provided health insurance, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, and Black union workers with less than a high school degree earn higher salaries than their non-union peers; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens; which includes advancing equal rights and eliminating racial economic disparity in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Janus v. AFSCME, a U.S. Supreme Court case that is supported by the Koch brothers' freedom foundation, represents the latest and most dangerous assault on working class people. Under current law, every union-represented public service worker has the choice whether or not to join a union even while that union is required to negotiate on behalf of all workers whether or not a worker joins; and
WHEREAS, if the Supreme Court upholds the lower court's decision, Janus v. AFSCME would overturn Abode v. Detroit and thus open the floodgates to Right to Work. In Right to Work states union coverage has been reduce by 9.6 percent. Workers' wages on average is $6,109 less per year while poverty rates have increased to 15.3%. Moreover, workers have seen a 13% reduction in health care benefits and work place fatalities have increased by 49%. Employer sponsored pensions are 4.8% lower in Right to Work states; and
WHEREAS, the NAACP and unions have a long history of standing together to end labor and employment discrimination, bring economic justice to the workplace, and social justice to the nation.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ("NAACP") will support good hospitality jobs by prioritizing hotels with union contracts for conferences and business meetings; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NAACP will reaffirm its commitment to supporting the right and ability for labor to organize public and private employees regardless of the Janus decision; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP encourages its local branches to support, raise awareness of, and participate in, labor movements that advocate for greater equality for union workers.