Press Release

Labor Applauds Overdue Passage of Equality Act

Trumka: ‘A union contract has long been the greatest protection from homophobia and transphobia on the job.’

Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the House passage of the Equality Act (H.R. 5): 

Members of the LGBTQ community deserve to be free from discrimination in all forms. Today, we’re another step closer to that becoming a reality. While the Title VII Supreme Court decision barred job discrimination, the Equality Act would codify that ruling and provide our LGBTQ siblings additional protection in housing, credit and other key pathways to the American Dream. With the passage of the Equality Act, the labor movement will continue fighting for another landmark bill for LGBTQ working people, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which strengthens the freedom to form a union. A union contract has long been the greatest protection from homophobia and transphobia on the job, and we urge Congress to send both the PRO Act and the Equality Act to President Biden’s desk this year.

Contact: Carolyn Bobb (202) 637-5018