Without the power of the union to stand up for workers, very little progress can be made in pay equality, diversity inclusion, workplace conditions, and so on.
By BRIONNA WESTBROOK
Discrimination in the workplace is holding the United States economy back. In a study performed by Credit Suisse/McKinsey, businesses with a high LGBTQ employee rate outperform less inclusive companies at a rate of 10 percent on average. Yet LGBTQ workers in the United States still face extreme discrimination in the workplace. Unions and strong labor laws help to prevent employers from violating civil rights as protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. They also help reduce income equality, which the LGBT community faces at much higher rates than the non-LGBTQ community. Though the National Labor Rights Act (NLRA) began holding employers accountable, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act strengthens the power of the people to improve their workplace conditions, pay, and benefits.