Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the police killing of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota:
Union members live and work in every state and in every community. When a deadly injustice occurs, it happens in our backyards and to our families. So all of us—as one united labor movement—have a responsibility to stop it.
America’s labor movement will not rest until this nation can finally wake up to equality and justice for all. Today, we are grieving again after the killing of another Black man, Daunte Wright, at the hands of a police officer. Daunte was just 20 years old. He was shot less than 10 miles from the ongoing trial into George Floyd’s death.
Racism is systemic. It has been baked into our institutions and our communities for centuries. The idea of “liberty and justice for all” feels like a constantly broken promise to Black people.
We must do everything in our power to dismantle the systems of oppression and white supremacy—in our workplaces, our health care system, our housing system, our voting laws and, yes, in policing.
As part of the Racial Justice Task Force, unionized law enforcement officers have been meeting for the past seven months to discuss their real-life experiences serving our communities. These proud union members and leaders are finalizing a blueprint for change that ensures justice for victims and due process for public safety workers. We look forward to sharing it with the nation soon.
We can and must do better.
Contact: Carolyn Bobb (202) 637-5018