It would be his 91st birthday, celebrating the great legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – his moral strength as a religious leader, his commitment to not giving in to moral issues again, and his commitment he made to end the legal separation in America.
But there is one aspect that often overlooks his work: Dr. King was one of the most fearsome strikers of his time working together to organize, build power and improve their lives. Here's how he puts it on speech
The labor movement was a powerful force that transformed grief and despair in to hope and progress. Because of its courageous struggles, economic and social change brought unemployment insurance, pensions for the elderly, government assistance for the needy and, above all, new levels of income meant not only survival but tolerable health.
Dr. King understood union difference—how the voice works with the employee at the table empowering workers of all races. It means a big payout at the end of the week. It means better health benefits, so you can afford to see a doctor when you are sick. It means safety at retirement when your working days are done. It means the dignity and respect you deserve.
And he knew that the high profits of a company seeking to terminate a job – minus the union difference – would use dishonesty and deceit to gain the edge. She is here in 1961, to warn about the enmity of laws supposedly intended for the work:
In our noble struggle for civil rights, we must beware of being deceived by false slogans, such as & # 39; the right to work. & # 39; , wages are low, jobs are scarce and there are no human rights.
Dr. King's focus on economic issues intensified in the latter part of his life, during the 1967 campaign for the Poor People. And his last campaign was a labor action. Dr. King traveled to Memphis in early 1968 to stand with the 1,300 Native American workers represented by AFSCME Local 1733, who had gone on strike protesting the wage of poverty and illegal and bad conditions. They also asserted their humanity with the simple and proud slogan: "I AM A MAN."
March 18, Dr. King considered sanitation workers and members of the Mason Temple community in Memphis:
“He wants the city to respect the dignity of its workers. So we often overlook the importance and importance of those who are not in the profession, of those who are not in the so-called great jobs. But let me say to you tonight that whenever you do a service that serves humanity … you have dignity and worth it … All jobs are dignified. ”
Two and a half weeks later, on a subsequent trip to Memphis, Dr. King was killed. But his message in Memphis and throughout his life continues to be a call to action for everyone who believes in economic justice.
In the name of Dr. King, we continue to fight for the notion that "all employees have dignity," that the union's difference can awaken many working families, support our communities and strengthen the whole country.
Lee Saunders is president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees, a union of 1.4 million government workers nationwide.
