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How Latinos Can Reinvigorate the Labor Movement

At a time when many labor unions are seeking new members, Latino workers in the United States, especially immigrants, often find themselves voiceless.
How Latinos Can Reinvigorate the Labor Movement
By Pablo Ros ·
How Latinos Can Reinvigorate the Labor Movement
In Puerto Rico, public sector workers have joined the labor movement and found a voice on the job through AFSCME.

At a time when many labor unions are seeking new members, Latino workers in the United States, especially immigrants, often find themselves voiceless. Hence, a new report suggests, “Latinos are perfectly positioned to join unions in large numbers.”

The report, released this week by the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), declares that Latino workers “are currently the most vulnerable workers in the nation and need the protections and benefits that unions can provide.”

Latino men and women often labor in abusive work environments and have low-wage jobs. They are victims of the highest rates of minimum wage violations, a form of wage theft. They have the lowest levels of pension coverage and health insurance coverage. They too often are victims of sexual assault and child labor – some 600,000 children work in the fields today, according to the report.

“Unionization will provide this widely exploited population with a louder voice and protections to improve their working conditions and economic standing,” the report reads. “Widespread unionization of Latino workers can reinvigorate the labor movement while improving Latinos’ economic conditions through better jobs, higher wages and benefits.”

LCLAA is the foremost national organization for Latino workers. For more than four decades, it has worked to protect the rights of working Latinos and raise national awareness of the issues that affect Latino workers’ wellbeing.

The report, titled, “Latino Workers and Unions: A Strategic Partnership for America’s Progress,” notes that while unionization rates in the private sector have decreased for many years, the number of Latinos who joined the labor movement has increased.

LCLAA advises unions to reach out to Latino workers.

“If unions are to survive and rebuild in the near future, there is no doubt that Latinos and all minorities will have to join the labor movement,” the report states. “Latino engagement will be critical to recruiting more Latino workers into labor unions.”   

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