Women workers and
unionists dem and
job equality
h if M ary A n n C urtis
W inning justice for all workers through
united labor defense of discrimination victims
was the theme of a practical conference for
union and working women held in November
at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The conference, entitled “ Breaking the
Barriers of Job Discrimination," attracted
more than 130 working women, unionists,
and anti-discrimination activists representing
over 25 unions. Participants came from as far
away as Portland, San Francisco and Pitts
burgh. PA to exchange information, share
skills and experience, and discuss strategies
to com bat job discrimination and advance
workplace rights.
In three general sessions, participants not
only demonstrated their com m itm ent to rally
the labor m ovement in defense of its most
discriminated-against sectors — women,
people of color, the disabled, and sexual
m inorities — they learned how to build new
alliances to make that possible.
Fourteen workshops provided practical
inform ation on organizing unions and em
ployee groups, outlined strategies for c o m
bating specific forms of job bias, inluding
discrim ination based on race, disability, sex
ual orientation, and political ideology, and
provided updates on the setbacks and
advances in equal em ploym ent law.
Participants emerged from the conference
invigorated with ideas for organizing against
all form s of workplace bias. Many stated that
they were doubly inspired by the real-life ex
amples of women who are fighting and win
ning discrim ination grievances and suits
across the country.
Crossroads for labor
In her keynote speech on "Labor's Stake in
C om bating Discrimination on the Job," Clara
Fraser, a leading figure in the feminist and
socialist movements and victor in a landmark
free speech and discrimination suit against
Seattle City Light, said. “ We are here to affirm
that, despite the conservative climate and
miserable machinations of the bosses, red
necks. venal politicians, and some upwardly
bound careerists of both sexes and all races,
we can win! And we have won! Anybody who
proclaim s their right to be themselves and
still hold a job and be treated equally has a
chance in this country — if you organize."
Most discrim ination victims face the
bosses alone, she added, abandoned by the
bureaucratically-stifled and rightward-moving
rights agencies, civil rights movements, and
m any unions. Therefore, "we must prepare
to turn unions into fierce advocates for and
defenders of their most oppressed and har
assed members, or unions will swiftly become
incapable of representing anybody."
“ Labor is at a crossroads," Fraser wound
up. "It faces an historic choice between the
dead hand of the past that stifles the living
and the wave of the future, which, quiet as it's
kept, is us.” Discrimination will cease “ if we all
stand tough and together whenever any
union activist or human rights advocate or
political dissident or whistle-blower gets fired
or dem oted or harassed for speaking out or
dem anding their rights."
m ust be governed by constitutional princi
ples and that free speech and association for
teachers, staff, and students does not stop at
the schoolhouse gate." C om m unity activists
have something to teach labor, she continued
— that iv e have to organize in our own de
fense around a ll the issues, with publicity and
militance, to win.
Where unions stand
In a panel discussion entitled. "D iscrim ina
tion is a Labor Issue," three union activists
explained their unions' track records on
countering discrimination and presented
strategies for strengthening the anti-bias fight.
Cheryl Peoples. Equity Committee Chair
and Executive Board m em ber of the C om
munication Workers of America (CWA). Local
9102, said that by setting up an equity c o m
mittee to address discrim ination on the job
and inside the union. Local 9102 has begun
to demonstrate to its members that counter
ing racism, sexism, and other form s of dis
crim ination is the way to build solidarity within,
and thus strengthen, the union.
Nemesio Dom ingo, founding m em ber of
the Alaska Cannery Workers Association and
plaintiff in one of the Association’s race dis
crim ination suits against the Alaska fish
packing industry, described ILWU Local 37,
Cannery Workers Union's battle to end ine
quity between white, Filipino, and Alaskan
Native workers in working and housing con
ditions. He discussed how the suits against
the industry have forced improvements in
hiring practices and wage rates and also
sparked a m ovement to rid the union of inter
nal corruption.
(continued on page 15)
PHOENIX RISING
presents
Public organizing — the key to victory
Merle Woo of San Francisco, a feminist
writer and m em ber of the American Federa
tion o f Teachers, spoke on “ Forging New
Alliances in the Battle for Justice on the Job"
in her keynote address. Woo won an unpre
cedented sex, race, political ideology, and
sexual orientation discrimination suit against
the University of California at Berkeley earlier
this year after being fired from her lecturer’s
position in Asian American Studies in 1982.
W oo explained that the key to her victory lay
in organizing a diverse defense committee
dedicated to the principle of free speech and
to bringing all the issues surrounding her
firing to as wide a public as possible.
The defense com mittee. Woo said, used
every available avenue — state and federal
courts, the union grievance procedure, public
events, and the press — to prove that UC had
term inated her because she was an Asian
Am erican feminist, lesbian, and radical who
dared to openly criticize management.
W oo said. "We showed that management
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Women's T h e ra p y G ro u p . Meeting Thursday evenings from 8 30 to 10:00 p m
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Incest Survivors G ro u p . Meeting Monday evenings from 6 30 to 8 00 p m for ten
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common concerns and relationship issues Starting date March 6 Led by Kao
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Tuesday N ig h t P ro gra m . Beginning again January 22, our para-professional
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more about yourself For both men and women Sliding scale from S3 50
Safe-Sex Practices W orkshop. Saturday, January 26, from I 00 to 3 30 p m We
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Lesbian Couples W orkshop: Enhancing Your Sexual R elationship.
Saturday, February 9, from 9 a m to 4 00 p m , this workshop will focus on enhancing
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Confidentiality will be respected Led by Kao Rhiannon, PhD Sliding scale from
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full Sliding scale from $7 50
To register, call 223-8299
S A N D R A K. PINCHES
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Counseling and Psychotherapy
Individuals, Couples, and
Families
Adolescents, Adults
Gay, Lesbian
and Couples
Individuals
Relationship Problems
Depression
Stress
Partners of Alcoholics
1809 N.W. JOHNSON, SUITE 7
PORTLAND, OR 97209
(503) 227-7558
Just Out, January. 1985
7