The Right to Unionize for Immigrant Workers

In celebration of May Day, LCLAA National Executive Board Member and Los Angeles Chapter President Xochitl Cobarrubias penned the following op-ed calling for worker and immigrant justice. 

May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a celebration of the achievements and struggle of workers around the world. It is a day to pay tribute to those who have fought for better wages, working conditions, and our fundamental human rights. However, as we mark this day, we must also recognize that Latino workers face new challenges that endanger our ability to unionize, threatening our health and safety in the workplace. 

Despite all the progress that has been made, Latino and immigrant workers continue to face alarming rates of workplace injuries and fatalities. These workers are often the most vulnerable and marginalized, lacking adequate protections and resources to ensure their safety. Latinos continue to have higher likelihoods of death and injury on the job and last year, Latino workers saw the highest fatality rate in fifteen years. These statistics are unacceptable and highlight the urgent need for action. 

We must recognize the contributions of Latino immigrant workers and take concrete steps to improve their safety and well-being. This includes providing access to training, equipment, and resources to prevent accidents and injuries. We must strengthen workplace protections and hold employers accountable for providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees.

One of the most effective ways to promote workplace safety is through unions. Unionized workers are more likely to have access to health insurance, retirement benefits, and other resources that promote overall well-being. When workers join a union, they gain a powerful voice in the workplace and are able to hold their employers accountable for creating a safe and healthy work environment. Unions prioritize the well-being of their members, ensuring that workplace safety is a top priority. 

As a union member myself, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of unions. When I became a member of UPIU Local 307, it changed my life. Our union contract protected our rights and it gave us a voice at the table and a say in our own working conditions. My union gave me the opportunity, as a single mother, to work with dignity and provide for my children. 

We saw the value of unions when car wash workers, who were predominantly women and immigrants, had to work without the proper equipment, when their employers refused to shut down. Their pay was non-existent and their employers insisted that their tips were their pay. My local, USW Local 675, along with the CLEAN Carwash Campaign, organized these car wash workers. Once the car wash workers had a union contract, they were able to hold their employers accountable. They now know they will be paid for their work and that they have proper equipment and safety measures. The car wash workers have their dignity and respect back, thanks to their courage in organizing. 

But not all workers have the ability to organize. Many workers risk retaliation from their employers, or are not protected by current labor laws. However there is hope. The Protecting Right to Organize (PRO) Act is a proposed bill that would give workers a fair chance to organize without fear of being fired, demand safe and healthy workplaces, and ensure that all workers are treated with dignity and respect. This is the key to preventing workplace injuries and deaths and ensuring that all workers, regardless of their immigration status or gender, are treated with dignity and respect. 

This is especially crucial for vulnerable immigrant workers and Latinas, who are consistently taken advantage of because of their immigration status and gender. They have been discriminated against for too long, but by passing the PRO Act, we can create a fairer and more equitable workplace for all workers. On this May Day, let us recommit ourselves to the fight for safe, healthy, and dignified workplaces for all workers.

Xochitl Cobarruvias

LCLAA Board Member and LCLAA Los Angeles Chapter President 

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