Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka after no officers are directly charged in her killing:
Breonna Taylor’s life mattered. Her horrific death and the miscarriage of justice that devalued her life and failed her family are a direct result of the systemic racism that has poisoned America for far too long. For Black workers and communities, it’s an all-too-common reality that is as old as this country. Unjust standards, systems and institutions create unjust outcomes every day. Systemic racism grows deeper when we grow numb or turn a blind eye.
As America’s labor movement advocates for the Justice in Policing Act and the HEROES Act, we are integrating racial justice into every facet of our work. We formed the AFL-CIO Task Force on Racial Justice because racism exists in our workplaces and our communities. It’s ingrained in the share of Black workers who are disproportionately out of a job or dying from COVID-19. The time for action and reform is long overdue, and it will only happen if we embrace it as one united movement. In light of the violence against police officers doing their jobs in Louisville last night, we also reiterate the call of our Racial Justice Task Force for civility and peace while we continue to demand justice. We will not rest until every person who lives and works here enjoys equal protection under the law.
Contact: Carolyn Bobb (202) 637-5018