Civil rights struggles have made important progress in reducing discrimination. The labor movement has a proud history of leadership in many civil rights struggles. Nevertheless, discrimination has not been eradicated. The average income in communities of color lags substantially behind that of the population as a whole, while unemployment remains much higher. The gender gap between wages for men and women has narrowed but is still harmful to working families, particularly people of color.
Affirmative action is necessary to make progress towards equality.
Affirmative action is under a determined assault in California and nationally, by conservative politicians who seek to maintain economic and social discrimination. Governor Wilson, in his failed presidential bid in 1996, undermined affirmative action in admissions and hiring at the University of California. By betraying the principle of inclusion, he and other regents not only harmed people of color and women, but also reduced access to education for the children of working families generally. Enrollment at the University of California by African-Americans and Latinos has not increased significantly despite the outreach programs that replaced affirmative action. The California Labor Federation vehemently opposed Proposition 209, which outlawed affirmative action in education, government contracting, and government hiring.