The labor movement is intersectional. This means we fight for all working people — no matter the gender, race, ethnicity or any other identity. Those identities intersect with your own identity as a worker, as a parent, as a sibling.

In America, we believe all people should be able to work without fear of discrimination or violence. You should be able to work without hiding your light and without hiding your true, authentic self.

LGBTQ+ people still lack basic federal legal protections in the workplace, which make them vulnerable to recent appalling and shameful actions by state legislatures. We have no tolerance for hate in our movement.

The labor movement is fighting back with everything we have. And the best tool we have is a union contract. Union contracts are legally enforceable in every state. They protect LGBTQ+ workers from harassment, and can mean real progress for workers and our families to gain health care, savings, a future, and so much more. Check out some model contract language from our constituency group, Pride at Work.

LGBTQ+ workers face retaliation and fear getting fired for standing with their co-workers. It’s hard for workers to see the very same corporations that celebrate pride turn around and hire anti-union-busting consultants and deny their workers the promise of a union contract.

That’s why, this Pride Month, we want you to share what your union means to you.

Share your story with AFL-CIO here.

This blog originally appeared at AFL-CIO on June 1, 2023. Republished with permission.

About the Author: This blog was written by AFL-CIO staff.