STATEMENT: AFSCME 3299 REACTS TO LA CITY OFFICIALS ANTI-BLACK AND ANTI-INDIGENOUS COMMENTS

Oakland, CA-   The recently revealed anti-black and anti-Indigenous sentiments expressed during a meeting of several LA public officials and a labor leader are reprehensible.  We condemn these attacks and stand in solidarity with our communities who experience the harms of colorism and anti-black racism.

President Kathryn Lyberger issued the following statement:

“In the labor movement, we must hold ourselves to the core principle of solidarity and live the credo: An Injury to One is an Injury to All. This is central to building the trust and unity that is the bedrock of workers’ power.

“Today, that trust and unity is broken. It has been broken before, and rooting out racism requires constant work and acts of solidarity from everyone in labor. It is incumbent on our leaders to repair beyond apology, with action and accountability.

“Those individuals who are implicated in the recording and who are elected to represent the people must resign now. Labor must hold labor accountable but resignation is the only way to restore the trust that has been broken.

“Anti-blackness and colorism must be called out and confronted everywhere. Justice for all workers can only come when all workers can trust that they are welcome in the house of labor.

“3299 stands ready to continue that work to bring justice and healing to all our communities.”

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