Reflecting on Dr. King’s Labor Legacy

In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s letter written from a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, he wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” While that quote is absolutely important, the full context presents a broader, and altogether necessary, picture.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be an outsider.”

Dr. King’s labor ideals clearly shine through in the above statement: the path to justice, equity, and liberation is paved by a community invested in a shared vision of mutual success. And mutual success is what our union strives toward everyday. Our union is working toward a dream Dr. King spoke of at the AFL-CIO Convention in 1961.

“This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream—a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality. That is the dream…”

Today, as we honor Dr. King’s legacy, we must also work toward the future he saw— justice, equity, and liberation for all people, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, the color of their skin, the profession they hold, how they identify, or what they believe. In a time where the world is more uncertain everyday, we must stand together with our labor siblings. 

Remember that it is our right and responsibility to speak up against any injustice we see, especially in the workplace. We all deserve a right to earn a decent living and work for an employer that puts its people before profits. Together, we are building a future where all people are provided an opportunity to not only succeed, but to thrive. 

Signed,

The DEIJ Committee

To read more of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s statements on Labor, click here.