LCLAA's Bi-weekly Newsletter | Feb. 10, 2022
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As Latinos, we cannot disconnect from Black History Month!
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Dear LCLAA members and allies,
As Latinos, we are a very complex mix, and as such, we must embrace the fact that we are Afro-descendants. ¿Que complicado? ¡En qué problema nos encontramos! The mere fact that many of us have lighter features and, in many instances, can pass does not disconnect us from the reality that we are interwoven as people. As such, Hispanics, Latinos, and Caribbeans Afro-descendants tend to identify themselves with anything but their Black heritage and we must make sure that we do not minimize our cultural diversity and interconnectedness. In fact, did you know that more than 1 in 10 Black people (12%) in the U.S. are immigrants and more than 1 in 5 (21%) are immigrants themselves or descendants of recent immigrants. But, yet black immigrants are more likely to be detained for criminal convictions than the immigrant population overall.
Bueno, where does this leave us? In my opinion, it leaves us in a great position to bring awareness to decades of unconnectedness. Last year we all supported the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd’s death. We began incorporating slogans and hashtags that shed light on the inequality skin color has played in this nation and we must ensure that we do not disassociate from this struggle.
As Latinos, we can not disconnect! “I am Latino and not Black”, has helped to marginalize our shared fights, and as such, we must embrace our original roots and stand proud as we celebrate Black History Month! Let us take a moment of privilege and shout from every hilltop that only in unity and solidarity can we achieve equity. Juntos we strive to move forward and celebrate the accomplishments of our people.
In solidarity,
President Yanira Merino
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Mexican GM Workers Vote for an Independent Union
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Last week, an upstart union supported by international activists won election to represent General Motors workers in central Mexico, opening the door to the prospect of bigger pay rises, inspired by U.S.-backed labor reform. The election was one of the first under the new Mexican law, which underpins a trade deal with the United States and Canada and aims to help improve pay by breaking the grip of unions that critics say signed deals with companies behind workers' backs. Read more in this article by Reuters
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NWSL, NWSLPA Agree to 1st CBA in League History
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In a historic move, the National Women's Soccer League announced Monday that it had agreed to the first collective bargaining agreement in league history with the players' association. The CBA will be in place through the 2026 season and sets the stage for players to report to the first day of the preseason on Tuesday. Read the full article.
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Amazon Warehouse in Alabama Is Set to Begin Second Union Election
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During the first union election at Amazon’s Bessemer, Ala., warehouse early last year, organizers largely avoided visiting workers at home because Covid was raging and few Americans were vaccinated but that is not the case for this second vote. Several national unions have collectively sent dozens of organizers to Bessemer to help rally workers For this election, which runs through March 25. Organizers and workers have spent the past several months going door to door to build support for the union. Read the full NY Times article.
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NEA Survey: Massive Staff shortages in Schools Leading to Educator Burnout
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The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union representing nearly 3 million educators, unveiled its latest survey of members' opinions on key issues facing public education during the pandemic. The survey shows that the massive staff shortages in America’s public schools are leaving educators increasingly burned out, with an alarming 55% of educators now indicating that they are ready to leave the profession they love earlier than planned. Read the members survey on NEA's Website.
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- Greater Lansing 8th Annual Scholarship Dinner (April 23, 2022) Click here for more information.
- The ICWUC (Chemical Workers Union) Center for Worker Health and Safety Education is offering a Resiliency program online on Friday, February 11, 2022, from 1 pm to 3 pm ET. Email Kpineda@lclaa.org if you would like to join.
- Health Equity in the Workplace: Communities of Color, Public Health Disparities, and COVID-19 Register Here
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- The “Don’t Say Gay” bill (HB 1557/SB 1834) has passed its first Florida House Committee. This dangerous bill blocks teachers from talking about LGBTQ issues or people and undermines existing protections for LGBTQ kids in schools. Tell Florida Lawmakers to Oppose "Don't Say Gay" Bill
- 50 for 50 Membership Drive! Help grow LCLAA by recruiting 50 new members! If you participate with your local chapter, you can help raise funds and win swag! Check out the rules for more details, and take the pledge to participate.
- Join the fight against toxic pesticides! - Nerve-agent pesticides called organophosphates (OPs) are deeply harmful to children’s brain development and toxic to farm workers. They also tend to impact Latino workers and communities more than any others. Join us in calling on the EPA to ban OPs.
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Reconocimientos - Shout-outs
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Congratulations to Tina Gonzalez for her election as President of the Sioux Falls AFL-CIO. Tina is the first woman and first Hispanic worker to be elected Council President and at 28 years old she becomes the 2nd youngest person elected president in the councils history, 2nd only to current South Dakota Federation of Labor President Kooper Caraway who was 27 at the time of his election to Council President in 2018. With this election, the South Dakota labor movement has taken another step on the path to becoming one of the youngest, most diverse, and most dynamic state labor movements in the nation.
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Oportunidades - Opportunities
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We are hiring!
- Communications and Policy Associate: LCLAA seeks a thoughtful and dynamic Communications and Policy Associate to build upon a broad and robust communications program, and bring our work to the next level. The Communications and Policy Associate is a key member of the National Staff team. Read the full description
- Digital Communications and Programs Coordinator: The Digital Communications and Programs Coordinator is responsible for managing our social media channels, creating and curating content, and sharing information around our core issues. The Digital Communications and Programs Coordinator will work with LCLAA’s national team to implement our communications strategy with a particular focus on content creation for our website, programs, and managing social media copy with a data-driven approach, as well as building and maintaining relationships with our members, chapters, and partners. Read the full description
- Advocacy, Communications and Policy Internship Program:LCLAA’s Internship Program is project-oriented and will expose you to administrative, communications, research, and legislative advocacy work in our daily operations. Through this internship, you will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills like political organizing, writing and public speaking, event planning and team management. For more information email Kpineda@lclaa.org
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El Avance is published by the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), the leading national organization for Latino(a) workers and their families. LCLAA was born in 1972 out of the need to educate, organize and mobilize Latinos in the labor movement and has expanded its influence to organize Latinos in an effort to impact workers' rights and their influence in the political process. LCLAA represents the interest of more than 2 million Latino workers in the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), The Change to Win Federation, and independent unions. Visit us on the web at lclaa.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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The Labor Council
for Latin American Advancement
815 Black Lives Matter Plz NW
Washington DC, 20006
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