{"id":198,"date":"2020-07-21T13:20:15","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T13:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ufcw.test.vmgdev.com\/?post_type=issues&#038;p=198"},"modified":"2026-08-21T14:50:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T18:50:48","slug":"equal-rights-and-workplace-diversity","status":"publish","type":"issues","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/better\/equal-rights-and-workplace-diversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Workplaces More Equitable"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"heading\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unions are among the most powerful forces ensuring that everyone, no matter their race, gender, or sexuality, is treated fairly in the workplace. The pay gap for women and people of color is real, significant, and resistant to closing. Organized labor has been one of the most impactful institutions in narrowing racial wage gaps in the labor market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"quote\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;No other organization I know of brings people of all backgrounds together like labor unions.&#8221; \u2014 Jean Gonzales, UFCW Local 1564<\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The union advantage benefits all workers and has an equalizing effect on wages.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Union Difference:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"list-item\">\n<li>Black workers represented by a union are paid 12.6 percent more than their non-unionized Black peers (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/unions-arent-just-good-for-workers-they-also-benefit-communities-and-democracy\/\">EPI, 2026<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"list-item\">\n<li>Hispanic workers represented by a union are paid 16.4 percent more than their non-unionized Hispanic peers (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/unions-arent-just-good-for-workers-they-also-benefit-communities-and-democracy\/\">EPI, 2026<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"list-item\">\n<li>On average, women represented by a union earn 9.8 percent more than non-unionized women (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/unions-arent-just-good-for-workers-they-also-benefit-communities-and-democracy\/\">EPI, 2026<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, wage and benefit provisions in union contracts ensure workers have nondiscrimination protections that comply with or go beyond what&#8217;s contained in the law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Equal treatment under the law<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The UFCW supports legislation that would update and strengthen the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/statutes\/equal-pay-act-1963\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Equal Pay Act<\/a><\/strong> by closing loopholes and improving its effectiveness. The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/house-bill\/17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paycheck Fairness Act<\/a><\/strong> would make it harder for employers to hide pay discrimination while rewarding employers with good pay practices. It also calls for programs to train women and girls in salary negotiation strategies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re also leaders in pioneering anti-discrimination legislation, and we support the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/117th-congress\/house-bill\/5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Equality Act<\/a><\/strong>, which would ensure civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ workers who can still be fired for who they love. That&#8217;s a legacy we&#8217;re proud of, and we continue the fight for workplace rights and equality for every worker. We\u2019re proud of and we continue the fight to ensure workplace rights and equality for every worker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tw-max-w-217 tw-m-auto tw-px-6 rich-text contained-block\" data-module=\"embed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Graeme Lamb (Local 1006A)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LlU_g-nFdik?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unchecked automation can harm workers and consumers. Here\u2019s what unions do to protect people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":575,"menu_order":6,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-198","issues","type-issues","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Making Workplaces More Equitable - The United Food &amp; Commercial Workers International Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Making Workplaces More Equitable Employee Rights &amp; Workplace Equality | Workplace Diversity - Unions are powerful forces ensuring workplace equality regardless of race, gender or sexuality. 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