Human Rights and Equity Committee

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Must be committed to the study of human rights, civil rights women rights, equality through economic and social justice for all workers, diversity, racism, and discrimination.  
• Should have experience in, or express a strong interest in learning, organizing and possess the skills necessary to support and participate in union campaigns.  
• Assist Local Councils in creating a safe space for people to share their personal experiences in relation to age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, gender expression and political orientation so that we better understand each other and build our union through our common struggles and goals, rather than allowing union busters to divide us by differences.    
• Will increase the credibility and the strength of the Local Human Rights Committees will actively partner with progressive community allies to build activism and power through training, organizing and political action.  
• Will strive to include the broader community in our local struggle for justice, democracy, dignity, and respect for all.  
• Provide support for work on union campaigns and programs including collective bargaining, organizing, voter registration information and get out the vote drives, informing members on legislation that impacts working men and women and community service and outreach programs. 
• Inform the membership on laws and protections affecting them.  
• Work closely with State and National Civil Rights and Equity and Women’s Committee Representatives.  
• The committee is charged with responsibility for ongoing study of matters related to the strengthening of our union through the promotion of and support for economic, racial and social justice equity for all workers.

Committee Activity shall include:

• Recommendations for participation by our MECs and LECs in their community, minority, and women’s organizations and coalitions which aim to eliminate discrimination and racism.
• Recommendations related to the support for work on union campaigns and programs to include the following: collective bargaining, organizing, voter registration information and get out the vote drives, informing members on legislation that impacts working men and women, and community service and outreach programs.
• Recommendations for creating safe spaces within our union for people to share their personal experiences in relation to age, color, disability, martial status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, gender expression and political orientation so that we better understand each other and build our union through our common struggles and goals, rather than allowing union busters to divide us by differences.
• Recommendations for educational materials relevant to civil and human rights issues that affect our members and communities.
• Recommendations on how to facilitate training around issues of Human Rights and Equity.