When it comes to economic equality in the United States, African American workers do not have justice.

Nonunion African American men still only make 75 percent of what white men make. Nonunion African American women were able to bridge the wage gap with white women, earning comparable paychecks in 1975. They’ve since lost ground, and now are making 86 percent of white women’s pay.

The poverty rate among African Americans is still three times higher than that of whites. Thirty-three percent of black children younger than 18 live in poverty.

The decline in manufacturing jobs hurt African American workers more than whites. In 1982, a quarter of African Americans worked in the nation’s factories. That percentage declined to 14 percent in 2000. By contrast, whites with factory jobs only declined from 16 percent to 15 percent.

Unions Help African American Workers Narrow the Gap and Get Ahead Nonunion                               $463 Union                                     $603 Median weekly earnings of African American workers, U.S. Department of Labor, 2002

African American workers make 30 percent more with a union than without one. Such high wages help raise living standards for everyone in the community. Union members are also much more likely to have employer paid health care and defined benefit pension plans.

Unions help African American workers remedy unfair treatment and discrimination on the job because management must treat every worker the same with a union contract—whether it’s about promotions, work schedules or disciplinary actions.

African American Workers Want Unions

African Americans are more likely to be members of unions. About 17 percent of black workers are in unions, compared with 13.5 percent of all workers.

But even more African Americans say they would join a union if given the chance. In a 1999 survey, 80 percent of African Americans without a union said they definitely or probably would choose to have a union at their workplace; that’s up from 69 percent in 1997.

Yet employers routinely block their workers freedom to choose a union:

• 92 percent of private-sector employers force workers to attend meetings against the union;
• 75 percent force workers to sit in one-on-one meetings with supervisors designed to “change their minds” on unions;
• A quarter of private-sector employers illegally fire workers.

Source: Kate Bronfenbrenner, Cornell University

Americans believe such employer tactics are wrong, but too few Americans know they are routine. The secret war in our workplaces especially disadvantages people of color—people who too often have less power at work and the most to gain by joining together.

Civil Rights and community groups have an important role to play in shining a light on what happens to workers who try to form unions and making sure that their freedom to improve their lives and community with a union is honored.