Special MSM Op-Ed: Why A Labor Union Supports Gay-Marriage Rights

[Shana A]

Special MSM Op-Ed: Why A Labor Union Supports Gay-Marriage Rights
Filed by: Jeremy Bishop
November 3, 2008 6:00 PM

http://www.bilerico.com/2008/11/special_msm_op-ed_why_a_labor_union_supp.php

(Today, in the San Jose Mercury News one of the papers of record in California, was an op-ed that I just had to pass on. The author is Courtni Sunjoo Pugh, the Executive Director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California State Council. You can read it after the jump.)

Over the last several weeks since SEIU's California state council leadership voted to contribute money to the No on 8 campaign, I've been asked by quite a few people why a labor union would get involved in the "culture war" over marriage rights for same-sex couples.

There are two underlying premises to this question: first, that unions should focus solely on "bread-and-butter" workplace issues such as health care, retirement, benefits, and wages -- and, second, that marriage equality is unrelated to these issues.

Wrong on both counts.

[tekla]

My union also endorsed a NO vote on 8.