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MINUTES OF THE
TNG-CWA Human Rights and Equity Committee
November 24, 2007
Telephone Conference
PRESENT: Michael D’Souza,
Chair; Yoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe; Melissa Nelson TNG-CWA Sector Rep;
Carl Younger; Olivia James.
ABSENT: Judy Lee; Vernon
Clark; Randye Gilliam; Natalie Hill; Fareed Mohammed; Sheila
Lindsay.
ALSO ATTENDING:
Linda Foley, TNG President
Scott Stephens, TNG Regional vice president.
Dan Totton, President of local 31245 in Boston.
MINUTES PREPARED BY MICHAEL
D’SOUZA
The committee started its
meeting on schedule at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
Carl Younger Library
project:
The committee spent much of
its time discussing a proposal from Carl Younger to hold an
outreach social event to promote the library project. The proposal
was prepared on the suggestion of the TNG Human Rights executive
committee to build on the library project and promote it.
The event proposed by Carl
would be held on Thursday, January 24 in the evening at the
Italian American Hall in Quincy, Massachusetts, near Boston. About
250 members of all backgrounds are expected to attend including
local dignitaries. The complete Younger proposal is attached to
the minutes.
The committee discussed the
proposal extensively and in detail.
There was consensus that:
- This event should not be
linked to the TNG elections. While candidates contesting positions
may be invited this should not be a campaign event.
- The event must have a
Human Rights and Equity focus perhaps with short addresses by
representatives of Equity Seeking groups such as the NAACP
(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People),
Women’s groups, Gay and Lesbian Rights Organizations. Members from
different backgrounds could be asked to speak about themselves and
how they got to this point in their careers and in the union
movement.
- The event must be linked
directly to the library project.
- The budget of $5,000 is
high. The contribution of $4,000 from the TNG is high.
The committee agreed to
discuss this project further at its meeting on December 8th.
Conference on Equity
Issues:
The committee briefly
discussed the proposed conference on Equity Issues to be held with
the Minority Caucus of the CWA in Vegas in June. Scott Stephens
said he would report shortly on the logistics of holding such a
meeting.
Linda Foley said that this
conference could also be discussed at the sector conference in
Providence, Rhode Island early next year. She said that Human
Rights and Equity will be one of the committees formed at the
sector conference and members can discuss the upcoming meeting
there. This sectoral committee in Providence will also discuss
other human rights and equity issues.
Chauncey Bailey Project.
Linda Foley advised that the
TNG may become involved in this project. It’s is an investigation
into the murder of investigative journalist Chauncey Bailey.
Details are attached below.
Adjournment.
The committee adjourned at
2:04 pm Eastern, 11:04 Pacific, and agreed to meet again on
Saturday, December 8 at the same time. The meetings are being
scheduled so close together to deal with the outreach at the Carl
Younger Library project and the conference on Equity issues in Las
Vegas in June.
The TNG New England
Function
A proposal from Carl
Younger
On Tuesday Nov. 20 I had a
meeting with members of the Boston Newspaper Guild Executive board
President Dan Totton and At Large member Kathy Dalton to discuss
the logistics of having a function to build support for the Human
Rights and Equity project.
Several things came out of
that meeting, the first being that we should combine this function
with a mobilization effort sending invitations to all Union
members in the New England District council area and asking that
Linda Foley and Burnie Lunzer attend to address issues that affect
our future.
I have come to the
conclusion that one problem that my program faces is that
something with the title Human rights and Equity may be perceived
as something that all members are not welcome to attend and work
is needed to persuade people that that is not the case.
It is my opinion that in
order to work to achieve Human Rights and Equity the main
qualification is that member are human beings who celebrate and
want to learn more about the cultures, histories and languages of
all our union brothers and sisters.
The human qualification may
exclude some management and exempt employees but I see no barriers
to any others.
It was discussed that we
should have a members appreciation function thanking everyone for
past support and letting them know that in these troubled times
that member support is more important than ever.
The function will also
provide a way to promote unity for our local and members of other
New England locals driving home the fact the we are all members of
the Newspaper Guild and thus one family and that the Human rights
and equity projects are there for all to participate in.
Currently the library
project has a very limited amount of videos to use as a draw for
our members.
Originally the library
project was to be geared to have the resources to give our members
incite into the language, cultures and histories of our diverse
membership. Video lecture programs from major universities can be
made available as well as language courses like Pembsler, and
Rosetta stone if we had funding.
Having a Members
appreciation/celebration of diversity function may help in drawing
members from New England locals to future events and giving us a
possible method of gaining revenues for needed materials for the
library project through things such as raffles and donations.
It was also discussed that
we should invite local politicians such as the newly elected mayor
of Quincy Massachusetts Tommy Koch and other public figures that
have supported Unions and diversity in New England. There is a
possibility that some political figures may be helpful in the
future
We also thought having
Ethnic dancers from local schools demonstrating African, Irish and
Asian dance.
To limit cost Ethnic food
would be limited to hors d’oeuvres unless we can find restaurants
that are willing to donate food to promote their establishment.
A Disc jockey to supply a
variety of music formants
Recognition for members that
have supported union actions and participated in the Human Rights
and Equity project..
Ticket raffle Prizes
President Dan Totton local
31245 said he is not opposed to presenting a motion to our local
to contribute to this event.
Dan Totton will participate
in our Saturday meeting in case there are any questions he may
need to answer.
Below is an event cost
breakdown supplied by Kathie Dalton At Large local 31245.
Hall
600
DJ
450
Food
3600 based on 200 @$15 per head w/tax & Gratuity. Includes
International food
Cultural entertainment 300
Materials
350 postage, stamps, programs, etc.
Incidentals
800 paper products, prizes
Total cost
$ 5500
Chauncey
Bailey Project
New America Media and the
Maynard Institute have convened an array of Bay Area journalists,
as well as highly respected media organizations and local
university journalism departments to form an investigative team to
honor and continue the work of journalist Chauncey Wendell Bailey
Jr., and answer questions regarding his death. Bailey, the editor
of the weekly Oakland Post, was murdered on Aug. 2 while reporting
on a story regarding the suspicious activities of the Your Black
Muslim Bakery.
In an unusual collaboration,
more than two dozen reporters, photographers and editors from
print, broadcast and electronic media, and journalism students are
launching the Chauncey Bailey Project - an investigative unit that
will continue and expand on the reporting Bailey was pursuing when
he was gunned down. Devaughndre Broussard, 19, a handyman for Your
Black Muslim Bakery, has confessed to the crime, according to
police, but many questions about the possible motive for the
killing have yet to be answered.
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