August 5, 2022

Los Angeles Labor Movement Backs Equal Rights Amendment

By Equal Means Equal

The Los Angeles Federation of Labor Calls on President Biden to Act "Immediately" to Enshrine Women's Full Equality in the Constitution.

On July 14th, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL’s President Kamala Lopez presented to the Executive Board of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor: the leadership representing the largest regional labor body in the nation.

Kamala explained the critical present situation with the ERA and our stalemate with the Biden administration and asked for their help influencing President Biden to publish the Equal Rights Amendment before November.

EME’s new Director of Organizing, Jeff Farmer, was instrumental in making this opportunity possible and for this we are deeply and forever grateful.

From theatrical stage employees to the construction workers, from musicians to hotel workers and firefighters, the leadership of the 40 local trade unions represented by the L.A. Fed voted UNANIMOUSLY to support our resolution and take up the immediate fight for ERA publication alongside us.

Los Angeles Labor Movement Backs Equal Rights Amendment Calls on President Biden to Act “Immediately”To Enshrine Women’s Full Equality in Constitution

Kamala Lopez & Ron Herrera, President of the LA Fed are happy to be working together!

Here is our press release; please share it far and wide!

“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged

by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

8/5/2022 – Los Angeles, CA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor – by unanimous vote – has passed an historic and urgent resolution calling on the Biden administration to “immediately ensure that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) be certified and published as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”

Federation President Ron Herrera said, “Every day the labor movement fights for pay equity, dignity and respect, and workplaces free of sexual harassment and discrimination. When the ERA is certified and becomes the law of the land, women workers – all workers – will have a powerful new force in that struggle for justice and equality.”

The ERA should have become law in 2020 when Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it, meeting the required threshold of three-quarters of the states. But the hard-fought victory and momentum for full equality for women was stopped dead in its tracks when the Trump administration refused to enact it. And while Democrats have publicly spoken out in favor of the ERA, they have yet to move forward on the necessary formal certification.

Kamala Lopez, founder and President of the equality advocacy organization, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, stated, “We are thrilled that Los Angeles labor unions – representing hundreds of thousands of workers – have joined this urgent campaign to see that justice is no longer delayed or denied. Their leadership is decisive in ensuring that President Biden break Trump’s logjam and formally codify the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the US Constitution. The time is now!”

The Los Angeles Federation of Labor, affiliated with the national AFL-CIO, is the largest and most powerful regional labor body in the country. It represents a broad array of some 300 industrial, public sector and building trades unions with a combined membership of more than 800,000 workers.

EQUAL MEANS EQUAL is an organization committed to equal rights for all Americans regardless of sex and has fought since 2009 for the ratification, adoption and enforcement of the original Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution written by Alice Paul and colleagues in 1923.

For additional information, please contact:

Kamala Lopez kamala[at]equalmeansequal.com 323-954-9644

Claudia Magaña 213-381-5611 ext. 114 www.thelafed.org

Note from Jeff:

This ground-breaking action signals that the labor movement is prepared to fight – and intends to win! The match has been struck by the Los Angeles union movement and the fire for justice and equality will, hopefully, spread across the country.

Union members and leaders know what solidarity means. Together, they and we are prepared to demonstrate it with “the fierce urgency of now”, in the words of Dr. King, insisting that President Biden make equality the law of the land with no further delay.

So, let’s all take inspiration from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor!

First, spread the word of this historic action. Share the resolution and press release with family and friends, your personal networks, on social media, to elected leaders.
Second, follow their lead and propose the resolution in your own organizations – local unions, the faith community, human and civil rights groups.

We need to act together to fan the flames and turn up the heat!

Thank you, as always, for your steadfast support and faith in us.
We will win this fight; failure is not an option.
With love and gratitude,

Kamala, Natalie, Joel, Jeff, Tom and the EME team