Hollywood, Fla.
While our society has made some progress in combating hatred and bigotry over the years, much more work remains to be done to make equality a reality for all Americans.
Since the terrible events of September 11, 2001, a climate of fear has been used to justify increased attacks on civil liberties and to scapegoat particular groups based on race, ethnicity and religion. Sadly, these increased attacks are part of a larger and enduring societal phenomenon of prejudice and discrimination that we as a union movement must continue to vigorously challenge. For example, contrary to the claims of some on the far right, women and people of color are still systematically discriminated against in housing, education, employment, access to health care and many other aspects of daily life; immigrants are too often scapegoated and marginalized and face new cutbacks in legal rights; and persons with disabilities face pervasive discrimination, including discrimination in hiring and promotion, in addition to new judicial decisions that are weakening the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employment, housing and other forms of discrimination, as well as acts of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity and gender expression, continue unabated.
All of these forms of discrimination harm union members and all workers, who face the additional challenge of economic exploitation and employer retaliation when they attempt to assert their rights in the workplace.
Prejudice and bigotry find their most terrible expression in violent hate crimes. Hate crimes send a poisonous message that says that some Americans should live in fear because of the groups they belong to; they are a form of domestic terrorism. Many innocent Americans, union members included, continue to die and suffer serious injuries as a result of hate crimes, and we must find ways as a nation to put an end to these horrific acts.
Just as our constituency groups continue their efforts to fight against hatred and bigotry, we call upon our affiliates and state and local labor bodies to work for new laws against hate crimes, discrimination, and racial profiling, to take action against attempts to legalize or condone bias, and to pursue strengthened prohibitions against discrimination in our communities and in our workplaces. We will stand with our allies and the other members of the civil rights community to oppose all forms of discrimination based upon race, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, religion or age.
Finally, we will continue to work with Congress and state and local governments to pass laws that ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to live and work in an environment free of physical intimidation, prejudice, retaliation, harassment and bias.