Women make up nearly half of U.S. labor union membership, but leadership roles have lagged, especially for women of color, even in female-dominated industries.
However, Black and Latina women are now securing top positions in major unions, leading to progress in areas like family-friendly benefits and protections against sexual harassment. UNITE HERE, a union with a majority of women and people of color, is now led by Gwen Mills, its first female president in 130 years. Her leadership contributed to a major strike involving 12,000 members across six states last month.
Black and Latina women experience wider pay gaps and face both racism and sexism, which has pushed them to take on more leadership in labor movements. In 2023, union membership rates for Black and Latina women increased, surpassing those of white men and women. The momentum has been building, especially in the past five years, thanks to groundwork laid by earlier generations of women, as noted by AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler, the first woman to hold the position.
Diverse union leaders, such as Becky Pringle of the National Education Association, Bonnie Castillo of National Nurses United, and April Verrett of SEIU, exemplify the growing influence of women of color in labor leadership. Yet, there is still work to be done in male-dominated industries like manufacturing and construction, where gender biases persist.
Women-led unions are having a significant impact at the bargaining table, focusing on broader issues like racial justice, affordable housing, and protections against sexual harassment. For instance, Chicago Teachers Union pushed for affordable housing in 2019, and hospitality workers, like María Mata of UNITE HERE, have successfully advocated for safety measures like panic buttons in hotels. Flight attendant unions have also made strides under leaders like Keturah Johnson, pushing for gender-inclusive uniform policies and protections against microaggressions.
