Latino workers fastest growing segment of labor force most disadvantaged

Washington, DC—A new publication detailing the major workplace disparities that Latinos face, Labor Day 2008: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce, was released today by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. The fact sheet highlights the strength and diversity of the Latino workforce, the effects of the national economic downturn on Hispanic workers, and the impact of eroding job quality on benefits and fatal workplace injuries among Latino workers.

There are more than 20 million Latino workers in the U.S., accounting for more than 14% of the labor force. Despite strong participation in the labor force, Latinos are concentrated in occupations that frequently fall short on critical indicators of job quality, including employer-based health and retirement plans. Limited economic mobility bars many Hispanics from achieving the American Dream, leaving them financially insecure during these times of economic crisis.

Workplace disparities are most apparent in the health and safety of Latino workers. Among other factors, the increasing violations of basic labor laws have contributed to the highest recorded number of fatal occupational injuries to Hispanic workers. Nearly 1,000 Latinos were killed on the job in 2006—the highest fatality rate of all racial and ethnic groups.

Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the labor force, making the state of Hispanic workers a national priority. In addition to Labor Day 2008: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce, NCLR will release an issue brief to provide further analysis of the decline in basic labor protections and recommendations to reverse the rise in fatal injuries among Latino workers.

To download Labor Day 2008: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce, visit www.nclr.org.