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Labor Coalition for Community Action (LCCA)

Parent Organization: American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Type:

Labor Union Coalition

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The Labor Coalition for Community Action (LCCA) was founded in 2000 to be the umbrella organization for AFL-CIO constituency groups. 1 These groups are A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and Pride at Work. 2

Background

In 2000, the Labor Coalition for Community Action engaged in voter registration drives to get their members out to vote. 3 That same year the AFL-CIO endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Al Gore. 4

In 2005, LCCA began to focus on bringing more women and people of color into the labor movement. LCCA members successfully pushed through a resolution at the 2005 AFL-CIO convention which created a framework for how unions could become more diverse. Among the resolution’s policies were allowing LCCA constituency groups to integrate into state chapters, setting targets for the number of people of color and women in union leadership positions, and requiring diversity training. 5 Following the changes to the AFL-CIO’s constitution in 2005, each of the six constituency groups under LCCA were given a seat on the AFL-CIO’s executive council. 6

Dakota Access Pipeline Opposition

Labor Coalition for Community Action has opposed the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline. 7 This was a break from the national AFL-CIO and its president Richard Trumka which supported the project as part of a comprehensive energy policy and a creator of union jobs. 8 While the LCCA acknowledged the pipeline would provide 4,500 jobs, it stood against the pipeline due to environmental concerns and Native American objections to the pipeline crossing native owned land. LCCA framed its stance as part of its goal of making a more “progressive labor movement.” 9

Notable Member Groups

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

APALA was founded in 1992 with the backing of the AFL-CIO. 10 Today, APALA has more than twenty chapters in over ten states. 11 APALA’s national officers are members of the California Teachers Union (CTA), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). 12 In the 2020 presidential election, APALA supported Democratic nominee Joe Biden. 13

APALA has supported Movement for Black Lives, defunding the police,14 a national $15 minimum wage,15 and a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. 16 After Virginia Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Fairfax) introduced a bill in 2019 that would allow abortion up until birth, APALA defended her and the bill as just seeking to expand abortion access. 17 18

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

CBTU was founded in 1972 to help organize black union members. 19 In the 2020 presidential election CBTU endorsed Joe Biden and cheered his support for President Barack Obama’s agenda as vice president. 20 When endorsing Biden, CBTU touted its long-standing support for Democrats dating back to its endorsement of George McGovern in 1972. 21

In the wake of George Floyd’s death CBTU called the use of tear gas and other methods of riot control “plantation treatment.” 22 Terrence Melvin is the president of the CBTU and serves as secretary-treasurer of the New York State AFL-CIO. 23 CBTU’s executive committee includes members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), and International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). 24 Organizations that partner with CBTU include the NAACP, Fight for $15, and Black Lives Matter. 25

Pride At Work

Pride At Work was founded in 1994 and the AFL-CIO recognized the group in 1997. 26 At its 2006 convention, Pride At Work passed resolutions supporting socialized healthcare,27 expanding abortion access,28 and impeaching President George W. Bush. 29

More recently, Pride At Work has pushed unions to negotiate for employees’ right to use bathrooms that conform with their gender identity30 and employer-provided insurance to cover gender reassignment surgery for transgender persons. 31 It also supports removing religious exemptions from nondiscrimination laws, claiming that such exemptions are all dangerous to and targeted at the LGBT community. 3233

Pride At Work has expressed support for the Poor People’s Campaign and Movement for Black Lives. 34 35 Members of Pride At Work’s executive committee are affiliated with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and Communications Workers of America (CWA). 36

References

  1. Dickerson, Niki T. ““WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH”: BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTEMPORARY U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT.” WorkingUSA: The Journal of Labor and Society. Volume 9. September 2006. pp. 293–313. http://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/a-force-to-be-reconded-with.pdf.
  2. Overmyer, Ove. “Labor constituency groups highlight need to help workers.” CSEA NY. May 29, 2020. https://cseany.org/workforce/?p=8283.
  3. Dickerson, Niki T. ““WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH”: BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTEMPORARY U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT.” WorkingUSA: The Journal of Labor and Society. Volume 9. September 2006. pp. 293–313. http://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/a-force-to-be-reconded-with.pdf.
  4. “AFL-CIO Presidential Endorsement.” AFL-CIO’s 23rd Biennial Convention. October 13, 1999. http://p2000.us/aflcioendrs.html.
  5. Dickerson, Niki T. ““WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH”: BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTEMPORARY U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT.” WorkingUSA: The Journal of Labor and Society. Volume 9. September 2006. pp. 293–313. http://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/a-force-to-be-reconded-with.pdf.
  6. Dickerson, Niki T. ““WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH”: BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTEMPORARY U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT.” WorkingUSA: The Journal of Labor and Society. Volume 9. September 2006. pp. 293–313. http://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/a-force-to-be-reconded-with.pdf.
  7. “AFL-CIO Constituency Groups Stand with Native Americans to Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.” APALA. September 19, 2016. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/afl-cio-constituency-groups-stand-with-native-americans-to-stop-the-dakota-access-pipeline?fbclid=IwAR0ONIyDxb0PdaPKRPYfX-0rG3YIlGWeDuVuhp8t4-esu4yh38u8MgmyHc0.
  8. Trumka, Richard. “Dakota Access Pipeline Provides High-Quality Jobs.” AFL-CIO. September 15, 2016. https://aflcio.org/press/releases/dakota-access-pipeline-provides-high-quality-jobs.
  9. “AFL-CIO Constituency Groups Stand with Native Americans to Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.” APALA. September 19, 2016. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/afl-cio-constituency-groups-stand-with-native-americans-to-stop-the-dakota-access-pipeline?fbclid=IwAR0ONIyDxb0PdaPKRPYfX-0rG3YIlGWeDuVuhp8t4-esu4yh38u8MgmyHc0.
  10. “About.” APALA. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://www.apalanet.org/about.html.
  11. “Chapters.” APALA. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://www.apalanet.org/chapters.html.
  12. “National Executive Board.” APALA. Accessed January 3, 2021.
  13. “AAPI Workers Organized and Elected Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States.” APALA. November 7, 2020. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/aapi-workers-organized-and-elected-joe-biden-as-the-46th-president-of-the-united-states.
  14. “APALA Stands in Solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives and their Calls for Defunding the Police and Investing in Black Communities.” APALA. August 6, 2020. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/apala-stands-in-solidarity-with-the-movement-for-black-lives-and-their-calls-for-defunding-the-police-and-investing-in-black-communities.
  15. “APALA Celebrates the House Passage of Rase the Wage Act.” APALA. July 18, 2019. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/apala-celebrates-house-passage-of-raise-the-wage-act.
  16. “APALA Applauds the introduction of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019.” APALA. March 13, 2019. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/apala-applauds-the-introduction-of-the-dream-and-promise-act-of-2019.
  17. “APALA Stands with Delegate Kathy Tran and her Family.” APALA. February 1, 2019. https://www.apalanet.org/press-releases/apala-stands-with-delegate-kathy-tran-and-her-family.
  18. DeSanctis, Alexandra. “Virginia Bill Would Legalize Abortion Up to Birth.” National Review. January 29, 2019. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/virginia-bill-would-legalize-abortion-up-to-birth/.
  19. “About.” CBTU. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/about.
  20. “CBTU Endorsement of Joe Biden for President.” CBTU. June 5, 2020. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/cbtu_endorsement_of_joe_biden_for_president.
  21. “CBTU Endorsement of Joe Biden for President.” CBTU. June 5, 2020. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/cbtu_endorsement_of_joe_biden_for_president.
  22. “No Justice, No Peace.” CBTU. June 5, 2020. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/no_justice_no_peace.
  23. “President.” CBTU. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/president.
  24. “Executive Committee.” CBTU. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/executive_committee.
  25. “Allies.” CBTU. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/allies.
  26. Quinnell, Kenneth. “LGBT History Month Pathway to Progress: The Founding of Pride At Work.” AFL-CIO. October 29, 2019. https://aflcio.org/2019/10/29/lgbt-history-month-pathway-progress-founding-pride-work.
  27. “Support for Universal Healthcare.” Pride At Work. September 10, 2006. https://www.prideatwork.org/support-for-universal-healthcare/.
  28. “Defend Reproductive Rights.” Pride At Work. September 10, 2006. https://www.prideatwork.org/defend-reproductive-rights/.
  29. “Impeach George W. Bush.” Pride At Work. September 10, 2006. https://www.prideatwork.org/impeach-george-w-bush/.
  30. “Bathroom Access is a Workplace Health and Safety Issue for LGBTQ People Too.” Pride At Work. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://www.prideatwork.org/issues/bathroom-access-is-a-workplace-health-and-safety-issue-for-lgbtq-people-too/.
  31. “Transgender Working People.” Pride At Work. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://www.prideatwork.org/issues/transgender-working-people/.
  32. “Religious Exemptions to Nondiscrimination Laws Harm Us All.” Pride At Work. August 25, 2018. https://www.prideatwork.org/religious-exemptions-to-nondiscrimination-laws-harm-us-all/.
  33. “Religious Exemptions.” Pride at Work, June 23, 2017. https://www.prideatwork.org/issues/religious-exemptions/.
  34. “Pride at Work Stands in Solidarity with the Poor People’s Campaign.” Pride At Work. August 25, 2018. https://www.prideatwork.org/pride-at-work-stands-in-solidarity-with-the-poor-peoples-campaign/.
  35. “Labor Constituency Groups Statement on the Recent Protests.” Pride At Work. June 11, 2020. https://www.prideatwork.org/labor-constituency-groups-statement-on-the-recent-protests/.
  36. “National Executive Board.” Pride At Work. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://www.prideatwork.org/about-us/national-executive-board/.
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