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July 07, 2006
Why Marriage Equality Is A Labor Issue
Yesterday, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that barring marriage for same-sex couples does not violate the State Constitution. It was an appalling ruling--but only shifts the battle from the courts to the legislature.
This is an issue that every union member needs care about. Discrimination is discrimination is discrimination. Period. Not all union contracts extend benefits to "domestic partners"--marriage, in our society, for better or worse, still confers on people benefits and protections that they do not have when they are not married. So, unmarried gay and lesbian couples are the victims of discrimination in employment benefits. No union can, or should, put up with that.
July 7, 2006 in Labor | Permalink
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» N.Y. top court rules against gay marriage from Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator
New York's highest court ruled Thursday that gay marriage is not allowed under state law.
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Tracked on Jul 7, 2006 9:49:40 AM
Comments
Agreed, on principle, but what about the strategic consideration? Will taking a stand on this issue help unions organize in the South and other conservative/religious areas?
From a strategic point of view, maybe labor should stick to economic issues?
Can a struggling labor movement afford to alienate the huge number of ignorant homophobes?
Posted by: bill | Jul 8, 2006 12:48:21 PM
Or continue to uniformly label them "ignorant homophobes"... ?
I'm partial to the column from a few days ago by progressive columnist Errol Louis:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/louis/
As he writes in the article:
"But as yesterday's majority decision gently reminds gay marriage advocates, 'Until a few decades ago, it was an accepted truth for almost everyone who ever lived, in any society in which marriage existed, that there could be marriages only between participants of different sex.
'A court should not lightly conclude that everyone who held this belief was irrational, ignorant or bigoted.'
That goes double for gay activists - at least, those who call themselves loyal Democrats."
Posted by: Andrew Odom | Jul 10, 2006 3:56:41 PM
I agree with Tasini that unions should not put up with any kinds of discrimination.
The idea of pandering to homophobes — whether we think they are ignorant, misinformed, or not — for some strategic advantage in organizing among traditionally homophobic or conservative workers is another way of conceding the political center to the right wing.
Only by allying with the progressive voices who want to extend benefits, fight for justice, and advocate for fair treatment of all workers will the labor movement be able to revive itself and grow. There is a constituency of feminists, radicals, and gay marriage supporters who will ally with and support labor if labor moves in the progressive direction rather than continuing to play it safe by shying away from more socially progressive movements.
The Pride at Work folks within the AFL-CIO are some of our strongest and most outspoken, pro-union activists.
Posted by: Paul Burton | Jul 13, 2006 2:34:59 PM
