We Are One: Workers' Rights are Civil Rights: Protecting and Expanding Democracy




          From January 17-21, 2013 the AFL-CIO will hold its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance, at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania entitled “Workers Rights are Civil Rights”. The focus of the Convention is to key working Americans on the necessity  of the Civil Rights. Human Rights are essential to the day to day survival of those who work everyday. Human rights, in the workplace, insure that each and every person can enjoy the earning and benefits of work. Human rights insure a workplace free from racial and sexual discrimination. African Americans deserve decent employment. Both unions and employers should be committed to fighting for human rights. However, the ideal is far from reality.  In reality, the employers that hire the most minorities pay the lowest wages. The businesses that pay the lowest wages have the most horrifying discriminatory practices. The reality is African American unemployment rates at double digit percentages. We do not need a repeat performance of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. We do not want to see meaningless unenforced laws. We don’t wish to see women mistreated sexually, humiliated, insulted and discriminated in the workplace. There must be an end of African Americans and other racial minorities being the last hired and the first fired. This conference is dedicated not only to remember Dr. King and his vision of racial equality and employment. It is dedicated to fighting for those goals and visions. During the convention there were panel discussions; community services and a protest against the privatization and cutbacks in the Philadelphia school system. The protest will take place on Saturday in the shadow of the Independence Hall, at the National Constitutional Center. The AFL-CIO is urging a fight back from the community to prevent the destruction of the Philadelphia School District through school were acceptable as long as the cities minority population was no more than 30%. However, when the Latino and African American student population far exceeded the number of whites public schools are closed. Charter Schools are opened .According to Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, the only increase allowed by the current School Reform Commission is an over $800,000,000 one to the charter schools. Minorities are told they will have no alternative but to pay for their education.

            Opening remarks were made by Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President AFL-CIO. She said that President Barack Obama will be sworn in on the bible of Abraham Lincoln and the bible of Martin Luther King. She added that we are here not only to remember Dr. Martin Luther King but to remember to vote ,speak and fight for the freedom promised by Thomas Jefferson. She further stated that it took “the liberator, Frederick Douglas, the Great Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights Movement , you and me” to bring us closer to the ideal of freedom. There is always the threat of a rollback. The line of progress is never a straight one. One incurs obstacles but soon one sees the city.” Ms. Baker felt there was both unity and solidarity in electing Barack Obama for a second term. “In the struggle for the American Dream”, Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice president of the AFL-CIO said, “we grow stronger. We grow together.”Parents fear deportment, unemployment, hunger and the destruction of the dream, she added, “We have work to do brothers and sisters…We walk in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King. We will overcome. Keep the dream of justice alive.”

            Pat Eiding ,President of the Philadelphia Council, AFL-CIO was introduced by Vice President Baker. “On behalf of the 150 unions,” Pat Eiding said, “we are proud to welcome the AFL-CIO on this day of celebration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King. This fight is our fight.  It is the fight to improve the quality of education, for the right to vote and decent wages.” He added a phase given by Dr. King. “We must live together as brothers of perish as fools.”

He added. “We don’t have a mayor that cares about unions but we do have a lot of friends who care about working people. “

            Richard Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO said, “This is a special holiday that we fought long and hard for. We commit our self to service which is more than just time off.” In a stirring tale about his daughter . He told the audience about a question she asked him after watching the movie Remember the Titans. She asked whether things back then were like they were depicted in the movie. He responded by telling her things were worse. “The history of unionism ,in the south, was much worse there were beatings and lynching on on a regular basis and it was simply unnoticed.”

            The welcome ceremony ended with a video of Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO. He stated. “The idea is that each of us has a certain right to dignity.” He added. “All Americans should come together for justice and equality. We are bound to struggle for justice and equality.” He concluded by saying the “work ahead is difficult but it is the right path and just path... to dignity and equality.”

 

 

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