Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, is a day of profound meaning to Black workers, as it should be to all working people who enjoy and defend the freedom to live our own lives, speak with our own voices and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
The labor movement knows firsthand the economic disparities that persist for Black Americans in our workplaces. Though explicit slavery has been abolished for more than 150 years, the exploitation of Black labor continues to this day through a systemically racist economy designed to promote wage disparity in the workplace and the chronic unemployment, underemployment and economic exploitation of Black people.
As Juneteenth approaches, we're reminded of how much further we, as a labor movement, still have to go to fulfill the promise of liberty and justice for all.
We must remain at the tip of the spear to uproot systemic racism in all forms if we seek to fully uphold America’s promise of dignity for Black people. We must be a voice for all who live and work in these United States and to say out loud the names of those who were taken from us by racist violence.
Click
here
to learn more about the history of Juneteenth.
This weekend, we honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Memorial Day, which began in the years following the U.S. Civil War, is a solemn day that remembers those killed in action while in uniform.
OPEIU wishes you and your loved ones a reflective and restful Memorial Day weekend, while we pause to honor all service personnel lost while serving our country.
This month, we honor the contributions, cultures, histories and heritage of our AAPI siblings! AAPI Heritage Month is a celebratory reminder of AAPI workers’ countless contributions, past and present.
National Nurses Month begins today. We are thankful for our OPEIU nurses who work hard year round protecting patients and our communities. Together, we will continue to fight for safe staffing levels, safe workplaces and fair wages for ALL nurses.
Make a Plan to Vote!
It's never too early to start planning how and where you'll vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Workers' rights are on the ballot. Anti-worker candidates are fighting tooth and nail to take control of the House and Senate so they can erode workers' rights, defund the NLRB, and take away OSHA's already limited enforcement powers. But you can make a difference!
- Make a plan to vote.
- Sign up to volunteer for a phone-banking shift to talk to union siblings about pro-worker candidates in their districts (click here).
- Educate yourself on the candidates! The AFL-CIO's Legislative Scorecard is a good place to start.
- Know the issues on the ballot. Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Tool shows you everything from candidates to ballot measures to referendums you'll see on Nov. 8.