Speaking the Language of Marriage: A Labor Perspective
Courtesty of Pride At Work
Labor has a long history of fighting for equal rights for working people. Included in this proud tradition is support for equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered workers.
Labor has been a leading force in securing Domestic Partner Benefits and adding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity to non-discrimination clauses by including those demands in their collective bargaining agreements.
Use the key resources below to learn about how marriage matters in the workplace.
FROM EVAN WOLFSON:
For Richer, For Poorer
Contrary to right-wing claims that same-sex couples are largely white, male, upper-class citizens, 2000 Census data show same-sex couples are even more racially diverse than the general population, come from all types of backgrounds, and live in 99% of the counties in America. As they try and take care of each other and their families, they have the same sets of economic decisions to make as everyone else. This publication explores some of the many ways that same-sex committed couples experience numerous economic injustices directly connected to their exclusion from the protections marriage provides under the law.
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WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE:
Pride at Work
National Pride At Work is a constituency group of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations) which works to mobilize mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBT Community around organizing for social and economic justice.
Out and Equal
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is a national organization devoted to protecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in the workplace.
Human Rights Campaign: Workplace
The Human Rights Campaign provides resources for protecting rights in the workplace and keeps track of the employers who support fairness for all families.
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
NGLCC is a membership organization representing the interests of the LGBT business community.
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THE NUMBERS: POLLING & STATISTICS:
The majority (over 50%) of Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner health insurance benefits to their employees.
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PUBLICATIONS:
2008 Corporate Equality Index
The sixth annual Corporate Equality Index shows an unprecedented 195 major U.S. businesses earned the top rating of 100 percent, up from 138 last year — a 41 percent increase. Detailed information on each employer rated is included in the report and on the employer database under "Employers with Corporate Equality Index rating".
The effect of marriage equality and domestic partnership on business and the economy
Employer policies that treat employees with same-sex partners or spouses equally would improve the health and well-being of their families, which results in gains for both the employee and his or her family as well as to the employer. Small costs to the employer are balanced out by benefits to employers from positive effects on employees' productivity, health, and stability. Businesses in the wedding-related industries will experience increased revenues and profits from more weddings. In addition, state and federal budgets will see a net gain.
To Work or Not To Work?: The Effects of Partner Earnings and Children on Women's Labor Supply
The effects of partner earnings and children on women's labor supply. A discussion paper in economics by Sylvia Allegretto, Center of Economic Analysis.
Marriage is a Worker's Issue
A comprehensive, accessible piece about the relevance of marriage equality to workers both gay and non-gay.
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NEWS:
UNITE-HERE Backs Marriage Equality
UNITE HERE, the union representing workers in the textile, clothing, hotel and restaurant industries, has called for equal access to marriage and its benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers.
Moved with partner, woman denied unemployment compensation
This case once again shows that same-sex couples in long-term, committed relationships are not entitled to the benefits that non-gay married couples enjoy. The benefit in question is unemployment compensation, which a Pennsylvania woman was denied after she quit her job last year to follow her partner of eight years to Florida. The reason for the denial: She is not married. Her rebuttal: She didn't have that option.
BLOG: Corporate America: The new gay activists
Charting a course unplanned but nevertheless successful, Corporate America is shaping up to be the most persuasive gay activists of the decade. How are they doing it? With a simple three-step formula: credibility + education + action. It's a winning combination that actually fuels progress toward achieving equality in other arenas including politically charged topics like marriage.
Demonstrations of solidarity
When the National Executive Board of the United Farm Workers—a predominantly Latin@ union—announced its principled stance in support of marriage equality, UFW Southern California Political Director Christine Chávez restated her grandfather's support of gay rights.
REPORTS FROM THE FRONT: A Labor Day Look at Marriage Equality
A look at conferences held September 2006 that make that crystal clear the growing realization of the need for marriage equality in the workplace: the Pride at Work national conference and the annual Out and Equal conference.
Service industry labor union, SEIU, passes marriage equality resolution
Following the lead of several of their local unions, the AFL-CIO's largest and fastest growing union adopted a marriage equality resolution at their annual conference.
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MULTIMEDIA:
See the video of the late Lieutenant Laurel Hester, which Garden State Equality made in January 2006, just weeks before she passed away from lung cancer. In this video, Lieutenant Hester begged the Ocean County freeholders to grant death benefits to her domestic partner Stacie Andree. For months, the freeholders had stubbornly refused to grant death benefits because the couple was gay and in the freeholders' view, "not moral." Garden State Equality, which led the public campaign to support Lieutenant Hester and Stacie, showed this video to the freeholders at their January meeting. The freeholders then reversed their decision. Today, Stacie is receiving the benefits and is able to live in the home she and the love of her life had built together.
Watch an ad, also filmed in support of marriage equality by Lieutenant Hester before she passed away, aired by Garden State Equality on News 12 New Jersey.
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Contrary to right-wing claims that same-sex couples are largely white, male, upper-class citizens, 2000 Census data show same-sex couples are even more racially diverse than the general population, come from all types of backgrounds, and live in 99% of the counties in America. As they try and take care of each other and their families, they have the same sets of economic decisions to make as everyone else. This publication explores some of the many ways that same-sex committed couples experience numerous economic injustices directly connected to their exclusion from the protections marriage provides under the law.
National Pride At Work is a constituency group of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations) which works to mobilize mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBT Community around organizing for social and economic justice.
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is a national organization devoted to protecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in the workplace.
Employer policies that treat employees with same-sex partners or spouses equally would improve the health and well-being of their families, which results in gains for both the employee and his or her family as well as to the employer. Small costs to the employer are balanced out by benefits to employers from positive effects on employees' productivity, health, and stability. Businesses in the wedding-related industries will experience increased revenues and profits from more weddings. In addition, state and federal budgets will see a net gain.
