1.19.26 – Dr. King’s Legacy: Defending Labor, Defending Justice

Dr. King’s Legacy:
Defending Labor, Defending Justice

Monday, January 19, 2026

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor Dr. King by recognizing how urgently his warnings apply to today’s current events, as Unions and the collective bargaining process are under attack. Any attack on any group of Workers is an attack on all Workers.

Dr. King was unapologetic in his support for organized labor. He warned that powerful interests would always try to weaken Unions, silence Workers, and divide us by race, nationality, or immigration status to protect profits at the expense of People. He knew that collective bargaining, fair wages, and safe working conditions were essential to dignity and equality.

Today, those warnings ring true. Across this country, we are seeing coordinated attacks on labor, from efforts to undermine Unions and roll back Worker protections to rhetoric that blames Immigrants and pits Working People against each other. These attacks reaffirm the strategy to erode our collective power and strip Working People of their voice.

As Union Members, we recognize this moment for what it is. When any group of Workers is targeted, they are more vulnerable. Dr. King called on us to reject division and to organize, speak out, and stand together.

On this day of reflection and action, we recommit ourselves to solidarity, to defending the right to organize, and to fighting for dignity and respect on the job for every Worker, no matter where they come from. That is how we honor Dr. King’s legacy, and that is how we move forward together.