Pride weekend in downtown Chicago, the AFL-CIO held its Civil, Human, and Women's Rights Conference entitled 'We Are America:
United for Rights and Justice for All.' Most people don't think of the Labor movement and the LGBT community as partners very often,
but the weekend was 'a great reminder of how connected they are. Since the first mailing of the AFL-CIO Civil Rights Conference,
Gay Pride Month was acknowledged as a civil rights holiday,' organizers said. Workshops included one on LGBT workplace issues
and several speakers that mentioned the monumental Supreme Court decision. President John Wilhelm of H.E.R.E., the union that
represents Hotel and Restaurant employees, was one of the speakers that made sure to include the LGBT community in his remarks
before going on to ask participants to support the workers at the Congress hotel who have had their wages and healthcare benefits
cut by management.
After the conference ended, the labor community came together to march in the Chicago Pride Parade. SEIU, Pride At Work,
HERE, Chicago Women in Trade, OPEIU, Jobs With Justice, UNITE, and other unions and organizations were represented. SEIU
provided a float and a contingent of more than 60 rode on the float or marched in front of the float chanting and holding pro-labor
signs. The crowd received the contingent by cheering and chanting along.
Without federal legislation, a union contract is often the only thing protecting LGBT workers from workplace discrimination,
organizers said. Unions have been fighting for domestic-partner benefits and anti-discrimination language in union contracts since
the early 1970s. Pride At Work is the LGBT constituency group of the AFL-CIO and their mission is to be a bridge between the Labor
movement and LGBT community.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the newly forming Chicago chapter of Pride At Work please contact Sandra Telep
at 202-637-3988 or stelep@aflcio.org