Commentary

Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on May Day


Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 1, 2012.

Today, working people from around the United States and the world are coming together to commemorate May Day.  The message is the same everywhere: Workers’ rights should be universal and every person – no matter what nationality, ethnicity or gender— must have equal rights and the opportunity to achieve a better life.

Those are the values that have carried our nation to prosperity. But increasingly today we see a group of special interests—the 1%—who seek to divide and weaken the collective power of working people. They are trying to limit the freedom of working people to vote or to join together in a union at the workplace or to live without fear of harassment or discrimination – whatever their national origin. Special interests are not only attacking the values we share; they are playing the politics of division.

America was built by the hard work of all working people, not by a small group of rich people. And together, we’re responding to the politics of hate by forging new partnerships with worker centers, domestic workers, day laborers, taxi drivers, and all people who work. America’s working families will continue to stand together in their fight to reestablish fairness and opportunity so everyone can have access to their own American dream.      

Source: aflcio.org


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