illustration by Brian Stauffer

Unions Under Attack: Civil Rights Under Threat

MARCH 31 -- The fight for labor rights has always been connected to the struggle for civil rights. That’s because dignity on the job, the right to organize, and freedom from discrimination are fundamentally human rights. Today, that legacy is under attack. Across the country, we are witnessing the erosion of civil rights protections that were hard-won by generations before us. In statehouses and courtrooms, the rights to vote, protest, learn unfiltered American history, and control our own bodies are being chipped away.

When civil rights are threatened, unions lose ground too. Workers can't build power when they’re silenced, divided, or forced into the shadows. The freedom to organize, bargain, and speak truth to power depends on a society that values justice and equality across the board.

We’ve seen this before. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – the great champion of civil rights -- was assassinated in Memphis while supporting the labor rights of striking sanitation workers. These sanitation workers were fighting both for personal dignity and union recognition. The March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, was co-organized by labor leader A. Philip Randolph and bore the full title: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Union halls were often safe havens in communities under attack. Civil rights fueled labor power, and labor gave civil rights real economic teeth. But now, that alliance is being tested.

In 2024 and into 2025, states like Florida, Texas, and Alabama have pushed legislation curbing protest rights and targeting DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs—even in workplaces and public schools. These attacks spread out to the blue-collar working class, especially those in unions where DEI exists as a framework to challenge discrimination, support career advancement, and protect vulnerable members.

Simultaneously, right-to-work laws and anti-union sentiment are resurging in parts of the country. Some politicians are using culture war narratives to pit workers against each other by race, gender identity, or immigration status—all while corporations exploit these divisions to boost profits and crush organizing drives. And in the courts, the weakening of federal labor protections is happening in lockstep with the rollback of voting rights.

This is a coordinated attack. The same forces trying to make it harder to vote are trying to make it harder to organize. The same billionaires banning books about civil rights are dismantling programs that help workers understand their rights. It’s a strategy to divide, distract, and disempower -- but working people are fighting back.

The movement depends on unions like ours, with 44,000 members, to move the needle. In every organizing drive, there’s a recognition that labor can’t win without civil rights, and civil rights can’t survive without labor muscle behind it. The degradation of civil rights is a labor issue. If we don’t meet this moment with unity and courage, we risk losing everything our predecessors fought for.

We stand at a crossroads, and the choice is clear: fight together—or lose everything we have fought for.

Five Years Later, We Remember Transit Hero Garrett Goble

On March 27, 2020, the New York City transit community suffered a profound loss with the passing of Train Operator Garrett Goble. At just 36 years old, Garrett’s dedication and bravery exemplified the highest ideals of our profession.

In the early hours of that fateful day, Garrett was operating a northbound 2 train when an arsonist ignited a fire inside one of the subway cars near the 110th Street station in Harlem. Demonstrating exceptional courage, Garrett prioritized the safety of his passengers, ensuring their evacuation from the engulfed train. Tragically, after assisting others to safety, he was overcome by the smoke and lost his life in the line of duty.

Garrett was more than a dedicated train operator; he was a beloved son, husband, and father of two young sons. His unwavering commitment to his family and his work left an indelible mark on all who knew him. As we commemorate the fifth anniversary of Garrett Goble’s heroic sacrifice, we honor his memory by reaffirming our commitment to the safety and well-being of all transit workers and passengers. His selflessness serves as a poignant reminder of the everyday heroes who keep our city moving.

Garrett’s legacy continues to inspire us all. We remember his sacrifice and strive to uphold the values he embodied in our daily service to New York City.

Unions Under Attack: Transportation Secretary Threatening MTA Funding

MARCH 24 – Federal DOT Secretary Sean Duffy is threatening federal funding for the MTA by imposing new conditions on the Authority, apparently holding it responsible for “violent crime, homelessness, and other threats to public safety.”

In a letter sent March 18 to MTA Chair Janno Lieber, Duffy demanded information about crime levels and money spent by the MTA to bring them down, to be delivered by the end of the month. The MTA responded that crime has been dropping in the system, with the MTA’s John McCarthy saying that “the good news is numbers are moving in the right direction… so far in 2025 there are fewer daily major crimes in transit than any non-pandemic year ever.”

TWU Local 100 President John V. Chiarello said, “For decades, federal transit funding has been an essential commitment to New York. It is not discretionary. It is not a bargaining chip. It is an obligation. These funds keep the system safe, keep service running, and ensure that the transit workers who power it have the resources they need.”

“Transportation Secretary Duffy is demanding additional safety data from the MTA, linking it to continued federal funding. This data is already provided through established reporting requirements. MTA leadership has failed to get ahead of the situation before it became a potential crisis. Transit workers and riders should not be caught in a tug of war between the MTA and the Feds. Janno needs to get off his high horse and ensure we are properly funded.”

When federal funding is disrupted, he said, “it doesn’t just delay projects—it forces the MTA to shift resources, cutting into operating funds, squeezing workers, and creating instability. Every time the MTA falls short in securing federal support, transit workers and riders pay the price.”

He called upon the federal government not to place new hurdles on the delivery of critically important federal dollars for mass transit, but stressed that the responsibility for protecting federal funding falls on MTA leadership.

“MTA CEO Janno Lieber has let the MTA become vulnerable to outside political maneuvering, allowing federal officials to question the agency’s finances and safety practices in ways that threaten stability,” he said. “New York City transit funding should never be a point of debate—it should be a guarantee.”