WHEREAS, organized labor joined its allies in the civil rights movement to secure passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and

WHEREAS, the union movement has fought long and hard to end discrimination and to bring real equality to the workplace as well as in housing, credit, public accommodations and public services; and

WHEREAS, the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO and its affiliates have been in the forefront of efforts to strengthen and expand nondiscrimination guarantees and to increase penalties and remedies for violations of the laws; and

WHEREAS, despite the decades-long application of civil rights guarantees and despite real gains in workforce participation and opportunities for women, people of color and more recently people with disabilities and older workers; discriminatory employment practices and shocking inequality persist.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that, the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO reaffirms its commitment to fight against and eradicate workplace discrimination once and for all and to use the collective power and voice of the union movement to ensure equal opportunity for all workers in Maryland and the District of Columbia; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO and its affiliates will fight for passage of stronger equal pay laws at the federal and state level and call for stringent regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other anti- discrimination laws; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO calls upon its affiliates to represent union members and other workers in lawsuits challenging discrimination in hiring, promotion, pay and other terms of employment; and protests personnel actions taken against workers merely on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Maryland State and district of Columbia AFL-CIO will serve as public watchdogs to make sure that state agencies continue to enforce full protections for workers in Maryland and the District of Columbia under all employment and labor laws.

Submitted by:

Fred Mason, President, MD and DC AFL-CIO

Nancy Wohlforth, Co-President, Pride At Work