T
he trend in many industries is
toward equality for gay and lesbian
employees and better recognition
of their rights. That trend usually
manifests itself first with a nondis
crimination policy that includes sexual orienta
tion and later with domestic partner benefits.
In the auto industry, however, the trend
seems to have stalled a bit.
At General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler
and Ford Motor Co., unionized gay and lesbian
employees have seen a little progress, but not
much else has been happening.
While some progressive policies are in place
at the Big Three automakers, not one offers
domestic partner benefits.
“Because the automakers aren’t offering
domestic partner benefits, they’re a little behind
the curve,” says Kim Mills, education director
for the Human Rights Campaign and the
group’s specialist on workplace issues.
No company seems to want to be first in its
industry.
“We’re just waiting to see who goes first,”
Mills says. “In order to really build brand loyal
ty, they should go that extra step and offer
domestic partner benefits. Gay and lesbian con
sumers are becoming aware of the basics of what
makes a gay-friendly company.”
According to Mills, when companies pro
vide domestic partner benefits, they demon
strate to gay employees that their rights are
being considered. It also sends a message to gay
and lesbian consumers— a market that is too big
to overlook, says Allan Gilmour, a former Ford
executive.
Gilmour was one of the company’s highest-
ranking executives when he came out a few
years ago.
“Gay and lesbian people increasingly want
domestic partner benefits and look at them as an
indication of a company’s commitment to gay
and lesbian issues,” he says. “No company sell
ing to consumers can afford to neglect this big
market.”
The most recent sign of progress in the auto
industry came in the form of a four-year contract
signed last fall between each of the Big Three
Despite union victories in Canada, top automakers7 U.S. employees
aren't in the fast lane toward domestic partner benefits by Gip Plaster
and the United Auto Workers union that, for
the first time, protects the companies’ unionized
lesbian and gay employees from discrimination.
Nondiscrimination protections were already
in place at all three companies. However, the
contract adds the support of the UAW, opening
the grievance and arbitration process to union
ized employees alleging unfair treatment based
on sexual orientation.
As part of the package, the Big Three also
agreed to study the impact of offering domestic
partner benefits to UAW employees.
Some autoworkers in Canada already have
benefits that came either directly or indirectly
from union efforts.
One gay and lesbian activist within the auto
industry says she considers the union contract
important, but another says it does not go far
enough.
“I think it’s a big deal. 1 think the contract
needs to cover nondiscrimination,” assesses
Michelle Walters, co-chair of DaimlerChrysler’s
gay and lesbian employee group, People of
Diversity. “It now gives union members addi
tional protections.”
Walters adds that her group was in favor of
the contract changes.
The merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler
slowed down progress at her company, she says,
because much energy was focused on combining
the companies’ operations. Now, things are back
on track and she expects more progress.
Walters surmises that if the union can make
strides on behalf of gay men and lesbians, the
effect will probably be felt eventually by all com
pany employees.
“Historically, that’s the way it works. If the
union negotiates a benefit, it translates to
salaried workers,” she explains.
But Alice McKeague of Ford’s gay and les
bian group, GLOBE, says the UAW could have
done much more.
She says many of the harassment complaints
that come to GLOBE are from hourly workers
who are members of the UAW.
“I think the UAW could do a much better
job protecting gay and lesbian employees than
they do," she says. “I would classify this as a
small step forward, and that’s part of my disap
pointment. We were hoping for a bigger step.”
McKeague is displeased that U.S. workers do
not have the same access to domestic partner
benefits as those in Canada.
“We were hoping that the UAW would be a
little more forceful in asking that domestic part
ner benefits be a part of the contract,” she says.
“The UAW says it bargains for families, but it
doesn’t bargain for gay and lesbian families.”
The good news in the auto industry is that,
in addition to the gay and lesbian employee
groups at Ford and DaimlerChrysler, one also
exists at General Motors, meaning that some
one is watching out for the interests of gay and
lesbian employees across the Big Three.
There is more good news, too. All three
companies include sexual orientation in their
nondiscrimination policies.
Not one of them, however, offers domestic
partner benefits.
General Motors, the No. 1 carmaker in the
world, makes many popular brands, including
Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, G M C , Oldsmobile,
Pontiac and the “we like being different” brand,
Saturn. It also produces cars for some foreign
companies, including Isuzu and Saab.
The company, which makes about a third of
its sales outside the United States, operates
more than 100 facilities worldwide.
General Motors offers domestic partner ben
efits to Canadian workers, and some see that as
a step toward getting the same for U.S. workers.
As for when benefits could be available in
the States, company spokeswoman Marcia
M cGee says: “W e’re looking at other companies
that offer them. It’s being researched right now.”
According to M cGee, the company discuss
es gay and lesbian issues in its diversity training.
Ford Motor Company makes more trucks
than any other company and is the No. 2
automaker overall. In addition to Ford, its
brands include Aston Martin, Jaguar, Lincoln,
Mercury and Volvo. It also has a controlling
interest in the Japanese maker Mazda.
Ford owns most of the No. 1 rental company,
Hertz, and Ford’s subsidiary Ford Motor Credit is
the top auto finance company.
Ford also discusses gay and lesbian issues in
its diversity training, a standard four-hour pro
gram that has reached most employees.
No. 3 automaker DaimlerChrysler was
formed in 1998 when Daimler-Benz, maker of
the Mercedes Benz, paid $37 m illion for
Chrysler, known for its minivans. The German-
owned company also produces brands that
include Dodge, Eagle, Jeep and Plymouth.
Spokeswoman Megan Giles says the compa
ny does not discuss gay and lesbian issues in its
diversity training.
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