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MINUTES OF THE

TNG-CWA Human Rights and Equity Committee

May 5, 2007

Telephone conference call at 1:00 pm (1300) Eastern; 10:00 Pacific

Prepared by Michael D’Souza

PRESENT: Michael D’Souza, Chair; Yoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe; Carl Younger; Sheila Lindsay; Randye Gilliam; Debbie Thomas, TNG-CWA Director of Human Rights

ABSENT: Matthew Harper, Secretary; Datejie Green, Vice Chair; Natalie Hill;

1) The committee received and approved the minutes of the last meeting.

2) Web site: Randye Gilliam reported that she, with Russ Caine’s help, has managed to update the home page of the web site, guildequity.org.

The site now includes information on the Boston library project Carl Younger is running and the successful Black History Month event in Toronto organized by the committee's vice-chair Datejie Green. Randye is now working on getting access to the web site directly so she can design and upload material directly. The immediate plans are to include the minutes of this committee and information on members of the committee.

3) Carl Younger proposal for outreach: Carl Younger reported that he has talked to about 50 people about the project and is planning the inaugural meeting on Saturday, June 9. He is planning a discussion on an inventory of the jobs at the Boston Globe and other news organizations in the area.  The aim of the session is to help members of equity seeking groups develop the skills needed to move up the ladder professionally and in the union movement.

The union local there is involved in a big fight over job losses because of outsourcing of services by the parent company, the New York Times.  The local’s campaign is having a direct impact on the library project.

The library project is housed in the local’s new quarters but the building is not accessible to people with a mobility disability. It has almost a dozen steps up to the entrance and the washroom facilities are not on the main floor but in the basement and on the second floor. Carl told the committee the local plans to make the building fully accessible but the campaign fighting the outsourcing has eaten away the funds set aside for the building upgrade. Carl has been talking to a member of the local better familiar with construction about adding a ramp to the rear of the building so people with mobility problems can get in and out.

The committee discussed the issue and considered the options. It agreed that Carl should proceed with the inaugural meeting on June 9 and future meetings. It also agreed that spending on additional material should be delayed until the building is better accessible. So far $1,100 of the project budge has been spent. Debbie said that she would see if any additional funds are available from the TNG to help the local make the building accessible.

4) TNG convention workshop: The committee again discussed holding a workshop at the convention on equity issues. Debbie is organizing it.

5) CWA Minority Leadership Institute. This is a two-week training session held in Washington. Debbie reported that the TNG is looking for a candidate to send; Carl said he would like to attend. Yoko reported that she may attend as a candidate from her sector.

6) Stipend: Debbie reported that we have not received any applications. The committee agreed to continue receiving applications. Those who meet the selection criteria will be chosen on a first come basis though, given that most of the eligible conferences and meetings are held in the summer. The stipend is $400 U.S. each; two to be awarded in Canada and two in the U.S. (More details attached)

7) Next meeting: The committee agreed to meeting again on Saturday, June 2, 2007 at 1 pm EST (10:00 am PST)

Adjournment: The committee adjourned at about 2:05 EST (11:05 PST)

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