The PRO Act and Racial and Gender Equality
The PRO Act will help promote racial justice and eradicate all kinds of discrimination. A union contract is the single best tool we have to close racial and gender wage gaps, and to ensure dignity and fair treatment for all workers, regardless of where we were born, who we are, or what industry we work in.
More than 65% of union members are either women or people of color, and Black workers are the most likely of any demographic group to be union members (13.5%).
The decline of unionization has played a significant role in the expansion of the racial wage gap over the past four decades, and an increase in unionization would help reverse this trend.
The union advantage is greater for Black, Latino, women, immigrant, LGBTQ+ and other workers who have experienced workplace discrimination.
The Union Advantage
13.7% More
Black workers
in a union earn 13.7% more than Black workers without the benefit of a union.
5.8% More
Women union members
make $205 more in median weekly earnings than women workers without a union voice.
20.1% More
Latinx Workers
in a union earn 20.1% more than Latinx workers without the benefit of a union.
Union contracts pay women and men the same for doing the same job. You cannot be fired for your sexual orientation or gender identity under a union contract.
The PRO Act Will Help Reduce Racial Tensions
The latest research shows that gaining union membership reduces racial resentment among White workers and that, among White workers, union members have lower racial resentment and show more support for policies that benefit Black workers.