Let’s Talk About the Jobs Gap: A Response to Andy Kroll

Andy Kroll has sounded the alarm on the severity of today’s jobs crisis for African-Americans. But more importantly, he has reminded us of the historical persistence of a black unemployment rate that’s double that of white unemployment, and that continues to undermine economic advancement for millions of people in our country.

Mr. Kroll points out that, as we look for ways to address the economic crisis facing our nation, the debate virtually ignores the particularly destructive impact that prolonged unemployment and growing inequality are having on entire communities, affecting the stability of future generations. He is absolutely right. More must be done to acknowledge and respond to the stark disparities that still exist in the richest nation on the planet.

Much has been said about the causes of the current global economic crisis. And although the economic collapse was not caused by working people, the unemployed, retirees, or the poor, they are the ones most impacted by the loss of jobs, foreclosures, and lost wealth. This is especially true for African-American workers. According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, in 2009 “the median wealth of white households is twenty times that of black households and eighteen times that of Hispanic households.”¹ This represents the largest wealth gap on record, and it is completely unacceptable.

There is an analogy that is often used to describe the economic situation for black America that basically says “if the economy is the engine of the train, it doesn’t matter how fast or slow it’s moving, African-Americans are always in the caboose, never catching up.” Now it feels like the caboose is becoming detached from the train.

It used to be that African-Americans employed in industries like auto, steel, and manufacturing were considered to have good jobs that paid decent wages and provided benefits, thanks to collective bargaining. And because of their unions, workers could be confident that they had a voice on the job and that their rights would be protected. These types of jobs helped many African-Americans improve their standard of living and simultaneously created stronger communities. Despite this progress, it wasn’t enough to bridge the jobs gap.

Over time, as our manufacturing sector declined—the result of a globalized economy based on offshoring, attacks on collective bargaining, and employers’ pursuit of a low-wage workforce—African-Americans lost a lot of good jobs. And while there has been some rebound in manufacturing, significant damage has already been done.

The public sector has also been another source of good jobs. As of August 2011, 21.2 percent of all black workers were in the public sector, in which earnings average about 24 percent more than in the private sector, again thanks to collective bargaining.² Now, many of these good union jobs are being targeted for elimination, along with bargaining rights, as part of the wave of drastic austerity measures imposed in response to state and local budget shortfalls caused by the recession.

When the current job losses are added to the pre-existing jobs gap, to say there is a crisis confronting African-Americans that needs immediate action is a gross understatement. Continued inaction on jobs will only exacerbate the problem. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The best way to restore our economy and reduce inequality is to create more good jobs for anyone who wants to work. The labor movement plays an important role in demanding action on jobs because the existence of strong unions and collective bargaining has meant, and continues to mean, better wages and benefits. For African-American union members, the advantage means earning about 31 percent more than their nonunion counterparts. ³ A union contract also helps reduce inequality and create fairness on the job. These are important protections, but we need specific proposals for job creation that will tackle the racialized jobs gap.

Labor’s Efforts to Close the Jobs Gap

Around the country, labor is engaging with community activists in state-level fights to keep good jobs in our...