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MINUTES OF THE
TNG-CWA Human Rights and Equity Committee
October 6, 2007
Telephone Conference
PRESENT: Michael D’Souza, Chair; Randye Gilliam; Natalie Hill;
Carl Younger; Vernon Clark; Yoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe; Fareed
Mohammed; Melissa Nelson TNG-CWA Sector Rep;
ABSENT: Judy Lee;
ALSO ATTENDING:
Linda Foley, TNG President and CWA Vice President.
Olivia James, IAPE Treasurer.
The committee started its meeting on schedule at 1:00 p.m.
Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
Outreach to journalism schools and community colleges.
This is a project discussed at the committee’s September meeting.
Vernon Clark reported that he had made overtures to the deans of
journalism programs at Temple University and the University of
Pennsylvania. Michael D’Souza reported that he had discussion with
CMG members who also teach at schools of journalism in Toronto. He
also reported that the CBC Branch Council discussed the concept at
its recent meeting. Linda Foley pointed out that the TNG offers
associate membership to students which cost a few dollars a year.
Sheila Lindsay reported that she will be attending The Future of
Your Jobs Conference at the Philip Merrill School of Journalism at
the University of Maryland on October 26 and 27 and expects to
make contact with people reaching out to students. (More on this
conference later in the minutes)
Action.
Vernon and Michael will continue working on the project.
Linda will forward information on associate membership to the
committee.
Sheila will report on the conference before the next meeting.
Carve outs.
Randye Gilliam reported that her informal survey of activists in
her local showed little awareness of carve outs as a means of
making sure that members of equity seeking groups are offered some
protection during downsizing to maintain the hard-earned diversity
in the workplace. Michael reminded the committee the CMG had put
such language forward in its last negotiations with the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation but the proposal is not included in the
Collective Agreement.
The committee agreed to publish an article in the Guild Reporter
asking other locals if they have such clauses or have considered
clauses.
Action
Michael to look into getting such an article published in the
Guild Reporter on carve out and also soliciting information from
locals.
Attend Minority Journalist Conventions/Unity.
The committee again discussed doing a workshop at the Unity
conference in Chicago from July 23 to the 27. UNITY: Journalists
of Color, Inc. describes itself as a strategic alliance advocating
fair and accurate news coverage about people of color, and
aggressively challenging the industry to staff its organizations
at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity. Its partners
include AAJA, NABJ, the National Association of Hispanic
Journalists and the Native American Journalists Association. Linda
reported that a member of the organization’s board has contacted
her about participating in the organization.
Action.
Yoko and Linda to explore their respective contacts in the
organization about participating in the conference.
Carl Younger Library Project.
Carl reported that the most recent meeting of the project, the
third one, was extremely disappointing. He had contacted members
of the local at the Boston Globe and the New England Local and put
up leaflets. (A copy of the communication is attached.) But only
two people showed up.
A couple of days later the management organized a diversity lunch
with food from ethnic restaurants. It drew a huge crowd. The food
was free.
Action
Carl to explore contacts among the people who organized the food
fair to see if the management and union could work together on
diversity projects.
Survey Membership.
The Future of Your Jobs survey by the Philip Merrill School of
Journalism at the University of Maryland is now completed. Sheila
will attend the follow-up conference on October 26 and 27 and
report back.
Action
Sheila will file a report on the conference before the next
meeting.
Focus on Commercial (Outsourcing).
Carl reported on his research showed that employers outsource jobs
overseas to improve their profits. Companies also say that
outsourcing some routine operations allows them to focus on their
core functions such as innovations and product development.
Researchers had also pointed out that the outsourced jobs usually
went to companies that did not have unions. Such outsourcing also
brought a level of uncertainty in the remaining workforce along
with insecurity. Randy noted that there’s a backlash developing
against outsourcing; even the Republicans are questioning the
value of free trade agreements. Yoko noted that outsourcing didn’t
always mean sending the jobs overseas. An example is the Seattle
Times decision to outsource its call center to Wisconsin. The
committee agreed that a lobbying effort was needed to counter this
move to outsource jobs.
Labor Movement/Civil Rights Movement.
Vernon reported that he had made initial contact with the local
leader of the National Association of Colored People whom he knows
about working together. He noted that the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP has sent a letter to
publishers asking about the lack of diversity in their staff and
the slant of their stories. But the organization had not received
any replies. Linda reported that the TNG/CWA works with Wade
Henderson and Mark Lloyd of
Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights, the LCCR, on media
diversity and coverage of diversity issues. Sheila reported that
she gets the e-alerts from the organization.
Action.
Vernon and Natalie to further explore linkages to civil rights
organization including the LCCR.
Possible diversity subsidies for New Local Officers Seminar (NLOS).
Linda reported that the initiative to offer subsidies to members
of equity seeking groups to attend the NLOS will probably be
considered and adopted at the next executive council.
Web Site.
Randye Gilliam reported progress on construction of the web site.
She sent in the necessary material and expects it to be posted
shortly. Linda commented that the committee should send a note to
the Guild Reporter that the website is active.
Other
Linda reminded the committee that hundreds of interpreters working
in the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Superior Courts are still out
on strike. She noted that this group included a large number of
members of equity seeking groups. (A note from Silvia Barden
President, California Federation of Interpreters, on the strike is
attached.) Linda also reported that one member of this group has
offered to translate portions of the Guild Reporter into Spanish.
She also noted that the TNG/CWA has a substantial membership in
Puerto Rico but these members have little access to Guild
materials because they are available in English only a language
many of them don’t speak.
The committee applauded the appointment of Nestor Soto, president,
CWA Local 33225 in Puerto Rico to the CWA Executive Board as one
of four at-large diversity seats established by CWA Convention
delegates this year in Toronto. (The other three are: Carolyn
Wade, president, CWA Local 1040; Claude Cummings, president, CWA
Local 6222; and Madelyn Elder, president, CWA Local 7901.)
Adjournment.
The committee adjourned at 1:59 pm Eastern, 10:59 Pacific, and
agreed to meet again on Saturday, November 3 at one pm Eastern,
10:00 am Pacific. Sheila advised that would not be able to attend
but said she would have written reports in to the committee.
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