Union membership has declined over years. Driven by the ongoing COVID pandemic, it is growing in popularity among Black workers. But let’s be clear: this is nothing new!
The Black Sleeping Car Porters Union made history as the first African-American labor union to be recognized by the American Federation of Labor. This union established in 1925, consisted of Black employess of the Pullman Company which manufactered railroad cars.
The Colored National Labor Union established in 1869 worked to help Afrrican American workers organize their labor on a national level. This union was important to many at the time as many people of color were excluded from existing unions.
The National Domestic Worker’s Union was established in 1968. The organization was started by a Black woman named Dorthy Lee Bolden. Bolden was a civil rights organizer and women’s rights advocate that worked as a domestic worker. She used her expertise to help others fight for better pay and working conditions.
These organizations show that labor rights has always been a Black issue. Black workers today are taking the mantle from these historic organizations in order to fight for their labor rights.