Happy Black History Month! February is our month to celebrate the great achievements of all of our people. Black Americans have made numerous contributions in all sectors over the years, including in organized labor. This is particularly meaningful to me as we celebrate our first Black History Month with me as SEIU 503 first Black President. I’m grateful for the trust of our members in electing me as the leader of our Statewide Union. I trust and believe we as a Union are getting closer to electing leaders in our Union not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
We have come a long way, but we are far from the finish line in making this country live up to its principles and true mission statement: “All men are created equal”. These are just words that we are taught in school, but we experience something different at home and in society. I will say that, in this Union, our Union, we are going to make these words come true. The fight for social justice has to be at the forefront of what we do as a Union. Lifting up the needy, guaranteeing job security, and creating a path to prosperity in an unjust society are the basic elements of our Union. The playing field will never be equal although many of us would like to see it just be fair.
In these coming years, our Union will be tested to see if we can live up to our own goals. That means ensuring that all workers have a right to join a Union. If we believe that all jobs matter, we should believe that everyone should have a right or choice to join a Union.
Let’s recognize the Black and African Americans who have done so much for our Union and our nation and challenge ourselves to create a future where we are all treated with fairness and dignity.