LANSING, Mich., Feb. 17, 2022 — Today, members of the Michigan House Democratic Caucus joined a coalition of labor voices in downtown Lansing in support of the United Six — a group of electricians formerly employed by United Electric Contractors. In a lawsuit filed last month, the group alleges that UEC maintained a retaliatory and hostile work environment where racial slurs and discrimination against black and brown workers were commonplace. They held the demonstration in front of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan’s Lansing office — the trade association affiliated with UEC.
“Fighting for Michigan’s working families is one of my top priorities, and the fact that workers of color continue to experience overt racism in the workplace is appalling,” said state Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park). “I stand in solidarity with the United Six and other workers across Michigan fighting for equal rights, fair wages and safe working conditions. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fight for legislation that will protect workers from this kind of discrimination in the future.”
Earlier this week, Weiss, along with other members of the Labor Caucus, unveiled a 34-bill package to restore organizing, collective bargaining and workers’ rights.