USW Local 3657
Civil Rights COMMITTEE
Committee Report for November 2014

The Committee met this month and reports the following:

1. AFL-CIO Mass Incarceration Training – We’ve spoken with the lead staffer on this issue from the AFL-CIO Civil Rights Department and have been informed that a three-day train-the-trainer will be held in early December (dates t.b.a. later this week). The goal of the training is to organize labor/community presentations of these materials throughout the U.S. which deal with the role that organized labor must play in addressing the new Jim Crow that our current system of mass imprisonment of African Americans and Latinos represents. The CRC endorses Doug Ward and Guillermo Perez to attend the training on behalf of Local 3657 with the Local covering lost time and expenses.

2. EEOC Report – We briefly discussed the Local’s making an information request for the most recent EEOC report from the international this December.

3. LCLAA – Pittsburgh LCLAA will be holding a press conference with faith and community allies to endorse President Obama’s taking executive action to grant temporarily legal status and work authorization for millions of undocumented families. Also, the chapter will be organizing another celebration of Three King’s Day at the PFT Headquarters on January 10 will be request financial support from the Local at next month’s membership meeting.

4. AFL-CIO 2015 MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference Jan. 15-19 Atlanta, GA. The committee endorses Doug Ward and Rachel Serbin to attend the Conference on behalf of Local 3657.

5. PAW (Pride at Work) – Their first conference call was held November 18th 2014. USW, SEIU, PAW an UFCW was represented on the call. USW Joshua Rafsky was nominated as Treasurer for PA Chapter. Their discussions included Labor Equality index, Discrimination laws, Hate Crimes, becoming more co-active with labor federations, etc. The PA chapter has gotten support from Jack Shea, Rick Bloomingdale and Director Bobby Mac.

6. CRC was thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Laux from District 2 as the newest member of the committee.