Assemblyman Leland Yee: Remember Labor Leaders

On Labor Day, we take time to honor a great social movement that struggled and sacrificed to win working Americans dignity in the workplace and a standard of living unparalleled in the world.Ê

Labor unions are the principal institutions that protect the rights of workers. Organized labor deserves full credit for numerous achievements that affect our daily lives.

The history of the United States is inextricably interwoven with the hard-fought victories of American workers. These victories include the eight-hour work day, the 40-hour work week, child labor laws, a minimum wage, worker's compensation, occupational safety and health standards, and other achievements that benefit all Americans.

The beginning of the modern labor movement stemmed both from the democratic ideals upon which this nation was founded and from the greed and exploitation that was characteristic of the Industrial Revolution. As the factory system flourished, replacing artisan society, workers no longer held personal relationships with their employers, nor had a creative voice in the production process.

Unions provide employees with a voice in the workplace and in the political arena as well. Workers began to organize in significant numbers in the latter half of the 19th century, setting the foundation for great social changes. There have been many important labor organizations that have shaped the labor movement, but none have outlasted the American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886 under the leadership of Samuel Gompers.

Not unlike many great movements, a public response to horrendous tragedies brought the plight of the labor movement into the mainstream.

In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed more than 100 workers who were unable to escape because the doors to the factory had been locked to prevent them from stealing or taking unauthorized breaks. In response to the fire, more than 100,000 people participated in a funeral march for the victims, which led to a series of comprehensive safety and worker compensation laws, not to mention recognition of a union.Ê Ê

Here in California, the 1934 West Coast longshoremen's strike was solidified in history after "Bloody Thursday," when a policeman killed two demonstrators protesting the re-opening of a port in San Francisco. The response was overwhelming, beginning with a funeral procession down Market Street and peaking with a general strike that shut the City down for four days.

After peace was established, the longshoremen had established an independent union, collective bargaining rights, more men on each work crew, and lighter loads.

To quote labor organizer and Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire survivor Rose Schneiderman: "Too much blood has been spilled. I know from my experience it is up to the working people to save themselves. The only way they can save themselves is by a strong working class movement."

The seeds for this movement have been planted in the years that followed her statement.Ê In addition to securing greater working conditions, the labor movement played a considerable role in integrating society. With some exceptions, labor organizations were the first to treat all workers as equal, no matter the race or sex. African-American labor leaders played a vital role in integrating not only the workplace, but nearly every public institution in American society; just as female labor leaders inspired the suffragist movement.

Even though the '80s and '90s were difficult years for the labor movement, unions were successful in winning parental leave, job sharing and childcare for employees.

Despite current anti-labor policies, the AFL-CIO reports that union membership is strengthening, once again, and now represents approximately 9 million workers. In fact, the current strength of the labor movement is due, in part, to the robust organizational movement here in California. Unions are using methods developed in California that include the enfranchisement of services employees such as janitors, nurses, and hotel and restaurant workers.

These new organizing methods also include the fight for a living wage, worker stock ownership, profit sharing and workplace democracy. The labor movement has survived for well over a century by fighting for what the American workers need and want. In 1894, when Congress passed an act establishing the first Monday in September as a legal holiday to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers, they instituted a lasting reminder that we must continue to be vigilant in our fight to expand workers rights and prohibit any proposals to weaken them. Ê

A Citizen Led Economy
The state of California has long been one of the most vibrant and critical elements of the global economy. In fact, the California Department of Finance reports the state is the seventh largest economy in the world with respect to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Here in the United States, California remains a leading force in the agricultural, entertainment and technology industries and a major contributor in several others, accounting for 17 percent of country's GDP. By those numbers, it is very hard to believe that just a few years ago we were staring a severe economic recession dead in the face.

Yet even in the midst of recession, Californians did what has always made our state special - we turned to innovation with purpose and tenacity.

Over the years, many Californians have chosen to support their families and communities through entrepreneurship. Collectively these microenterprises - better known as "mom and pop" business - have had both a profound and refreshing impact on the state's economy.

Specifically defined, a microenterprise is a business with five or fewer employees, which requires $35,000 or less in start-up capital, and which does not have access to the traditional commercial banking sector. These businesses have grown to represent 88 percent of all businesses in California and, together, provide more than three million jobs for the economy.

Self-employment has become a particularly vital option for those who are unemployed or underemployed, such as Californians with disabilities and caregivers who need flexible work hours. We must do our best to ensure that microenterprise continues to remain a viable and accessible option for all so that communities may remain a place where anyone who is able can develop their passions and inspirations into thriving businesses.

To further promote microenterprise, I encourage the public to join me on Friday, Sept. 29, at City Hall for "Take Flight with Your Business," a microenterprise business fair for women. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the North Light Court. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (415) 557-2312 if I or my staff can be of any assistance.

Leland Yee is the speaker pro tempore at the California Assembly.