The American working class is multinational and multiracial, male-female, young and old, gay and straight, skilled and unskilled. Real progress has been made in building a labor leadership that includes African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American and women workers. But much still needs to be done. Racist hiring and promotion policies are still the common practice of big business. Discrimination in housing and education remain real roadblocks to the American dream for millions.
Women still earn less than men do for the comparable work.
Racist practices and inequality continue to drag down wages and working conditions of all workers. Unity to confront corporate power requires greater, more direct challenges to racism and discrimination. Big business uses technology and changing working conditions to foster new patterns of racial and gender inequality for greater profits. Identifying and answering new forms of discrimination must be higher on labor's agenda. Fighting unity requires a fresh look at affirmative action and other methods of fighting inequality.