AFL-CIO last week amended its constitution in order to offer protections for trans persons and also resolved to work towards passage of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act.
The votes took place at the labor organization's 2013 Quadrennial convention in Los Angeles. AFL-CIO encompasses 57 unions and 12 million workers.
The amendment pertaining to trans protections was submitted by the Communications Workers of America. Mara Keisling, executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, told BuzzFeed that the vote was "very exciting. Labor has really been stepping up, and the AFL-CIO has been stepping up."
The amendment reads, "To encourage all workers without regard to race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, (or) sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to share equally in the full benefits of union organization."
Several unions within the Federation already offered similar protections, as did UNITE HERE and the SEIU.
"Statistics around the experiences of transgender workers tell a staggering story," said Donna Cartwright, secretary for DC-Baltimore Pride at Work, in a statement. "We applaud passage of the resolution that moves this country's workers forward in protecting all workers."
AFL-CIO also unanimously voted Sept. 11 in favor of a resolution submitted by the American Federation of Teachers reaffirming the union's support for ENDA.
"Without ENDA, the only protection many LGBT workers have is their union contracts. Union workers can be fired only with just cause and often have access to grievance procedures and arbitration," the AFL-CIO resolution said. "The AFL-CIO will redouble our support for the passage of ENDA and continue this work until every workergay or straight, transgender or notis treated with dignity and respect on the job."
"The fear of being discriminated against based on sexual orientation deters people from stepping up to serve our communities and reach for the stars," AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement. "We need to recommit ourselves to knocking down barriers for working people and stand up for equal treatment under our laws."
A resolution that would have supported transgender-inclusive healthcare within the AFL-CIO failed to pass due to technical reasons, but will be re-introduced at a later meeting, according to Pride at Work.