Issued June 26, 2015
WASHINGTON--In response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v.Hodges, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement:
Justice and equality are at cornerstones of our union and of the labor movement, but more than that, they are at the heart of the American promise. Today, the Supreme Court advanced justice by settling the debate over marriage equality, once and for all.
"Marriage equality means that LGBT working people will now have access to the same workplace laws, from healthcare to retirement benefits--that have always protected married workers and their spouses. It is right for this to be the case. In the fullness of time, love always wins, and today's reflection of that reality from the Supreme Court is cause for celebration.
"This week working families prevailed at the Supreme Court on multiple fronts, from marriage equality to healthcare to fair housing. But we know that attacks on justice by conservative extremists will continue. We will keep fighting to overcome these attacks and restore the Supreme Court's vital role in our democracy, above politics and partisanship."
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) unites 2 million diverse members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. SEIU members working in the healthcare industry, public sector and in property services believe in the power of joining together on the job to win higher wages and benefits and to create better communities, while fighting for a more just society and an economy that works for all of us, not just corporations and the wealthy. www.seiu.org
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