Dear Union Family,

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the traditions, languages, and stories of Native American and Alaska Native communities across the country.  It’s also a time to reflect on the history, resilience, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous people to our workplaces, unions, and shared labor movement.

This celebration has deep roots.  In 1976, Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle (Osage/Cherokee), a NASA physicist and advocate for Native rights, authored the legislation establishing Native American Awareness Week, which was signed by President Gerald Ford.  In 1990, President George H.W. Bush expanded this recognition by declaring November as National American Indian Heritage Month, what we now call Native American Heritage Month.

As union members, we honor this month not only by celebrating culture and history, but also by reaffirming our commitment to justice and equity in the workplace.  One critical issue against which we continue to fight is the persistent wage gap faced by Native workers, particularly Native women.

This November also marks Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, observed this year on Tuesday, November 18.  This date symbolizes how far into the next year Native American women must work to earn what white men made in the previous year.  On average, Native American women working full- and part-time earn just 53 cents for every dollar paid to white men.  This inequity is not just a statistic, but a reflection of systemic barriers that affect Indigenous women’s access to fair pay, stable employment, and economic security.

These inequities are further compounded by higher rates of poverty, limited access to education and health care, and the ongoing challenges faced by many Indigenous communities.  Unions play a crucial role in addressing these injustices.  Through collective bargaining, pay transparency, and strong workplace protections, we can help close the wage gap and ensure all workers, especially Native women, receive fair compensation for their labor.

As we honor Native American Heritage Month, let’s recommit to lifting up Indigenous voices, protecting workers’ rights, and demanding pay equity for all.  Solidarity means standing together across all communities to fight for fairness, dignity, and respect in every workplace.

You can get additional information about Native Women’s Equal Pay Day here.