Black and Latina Women Take the Helm of Major U.S. Unions in Record Numbers.
Black and Latina women are increasingly securing executive positions in labor unions.
While women are still underrepresented in top union leadership roles, more Black and Latina women are making their mark at the executive level.
As Black and Latina women take on more leadership roles in major U.S. unions, their impact has resulted in better family-friendly benefits for union workers, such as parental leave, expanded healthcare coverage, and stronger protections against sexual harassment, according to The Philadelphia Enquirer.
This shift in leadership reflects the demographics of union workers, with nearly two-thirds being women and/or people of color, as highlighted by Georgetown University labor historian Lane Windham. Additionally, Black and Latina women are playing a crucial role in driving union growth in the U.S. amid a long-term decline in membership.
In 2023, union membership among Black women saw a slight increase from 10.3% to 10.5%, while the rate for Latinas grew from 8.5% to 8.8%. Despite these gains, these figures still exceed the membership rates of white and Asian women, which declined during the same period.
With more women and people of color joining unions and Black and Latina leaders taking charge, union members are actively pushing for fair treatment and a just share in the workplace. These strides are particularly impactful as unions navigate challenges from the Supreme Court and shifting policies.
In June, Gwen Mills made history as the first woman elected president of the 130-year-old hospitality union, Unite Here. Under her leadership, 12,000 members—primarily women and people of color—across six states went on strike, demanding wage increases, fair workloads, and affordable healthcare.
Other examples of diverse union leadership include Becky Pringle, a Black woman leading the nation’s largest union, the National Education Association; Bonnie Castillo, the first Latina to serve as executive director of National Nurses United; and April Verrett, the first Black woman to head the Service Employees International Union, where 60% of the workforce are people of color and two-thirds are women.
In June, Gwen Mills made history as the first woman elected president of the 130-year-old hospitality union, Unite Here. Under her leadership, 12,000 members—primarily women and people of color—across six states went on strike, demanding wage increases, fair workloads, and affordable healthcare.
Other examples of diverse union leadership include Becky Pringle, a Black woman leading the nation’s largest union, the National Education Association; Bonnie Castillo, the first Latina to serve as executive director of National Nurses United; and April Verrett, the first Black woman to head the Service Employees International Union, where 60% of the workforce are people of color and two-thirds are women.
“If we want to build power for those seen as having the least power, we must create space for people with those identities to lead,” Verrett told the Associated Press.
While men still have a higher union membership rate than women—10.5% compared to 9.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—workplace sexual harassment and biases remain widespread. Lisa Lujano, a journey-level carpenter and member of Carpenters Union Local 13, believes that conditions could improve if more Black and Latina women held union leadership positions and were more attuned to the needs of their members.