M10-034
TO:
SPEEA Council
FROM: SPEEA Council Officers, Jimmie
Mathis (SPEEA Treasurer), Sandra Hastings (E-18), Carolyn Summers (S-14).
SUBJECT: PRE-SUBMITTED NEW BUSINESS: Approval of the SPEEA Diversity Committee
Background
SPEEA Constitution
Preamble:
We,
the members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace,
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 2001
AFL-CIO, CLC, in order to insure we are treated with dignity and respect, to
protect and improve our benefits and working conditions, to enhance our career
and economic interests, and to promote a mutually-beneficial relationship with
our employer, agree to the principles of collective bargaining and hereby
establish this constitution for the Society of Professional Engineering
Employees in Aerospace.
We
the members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace
hold these principles to be self evident, that all members are to be treated
with dignity and respect, that all members shall be treated equally and with
fairness, that there shall be accountability at all levels of SPEEA, that our
success depends on openness and honesty and integrity, and that we and our
employer have a shared destiny.
Charter:
To foster diversity within SPEEA and
provide an avenue for addressing the problems and issues associated with a lack
of understanding of diversity that may lead to discrimination and harassment.
Provide information and education to increase members’ understanding. To promote union involvement by all segments of SPEEA members.
Committee History:
·
SPEEA represents Boeing employees with very diverse
backgrounds.
·
In
1998, the SPEEA Council charted a committee to be an advocate for all SPEEA
represented employees to solicit and define issues unique to diverse
employees. The committee was an advocate
for all SPEEA represented employees and to advise the Council and to provide
input into SPEEA's negotiations.
·
During
2001, the committee was re-chartered as a Northwest Committee to concentrate
their activities around
·
Today,
SPEEA leaders and members see a need to reestablish a committee focused on
diversity issues. There is much debate
in the country surrounding issues of equality and this is a way SPEEA can take
proactive steps to ensure our union is inclusive.
Education and Training:
Most organizations
the size of SPEEA have a committee chartered to address diversity issues. A SPEEA diversity committee can develop
proposals to educate and train members and leaders around issues of
diversity. The committee would make
proposals to the LD&T, Council, or appropriate body around issues of
education and training.
In the past SPEEA has seen how groups like JwJ (Jobs with Justice), APRI
(A. Philip Randolph Institute) and others use
Communicating SPEEA’s inclusive
environment:
The AFL-CIO
has said “Diversity is our strength … we should be really vigilant about
creating opportunities for all of our membership. We lose when we don’t tap
into the energy, creativity and innovation of all of our membership.” Any member of SPEEA should feel their union
is one they can participate in regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation or
religious belief. This committee will work in collaboration with the
Communications department and appropriate committees to promote a message
that SPEEA embraces diversity, is open to all members and is an inclusive
organization.
SPEEA
Policy III-A
1. General
Preliminary
work for consideration of the SPEEA Council should be done by means of SPEEA
Council committees.
The
SPEEA Council Officers, with the approval of the SPEEA Council, shall establish
SPEEA Council Committees as the needs arise.
The committees are defined as Standing, Recurring Standing, Special, or
Committee of the whole:
a.
Standing
committees shall be chartered with a purpose and budget.
2010-2011
SPEEA Council Diversity Committee budget requirements.
Meals: $12.00 X 10 members = 120.00 X 6 months
(October 2010 thru March 2011) = $720.00.
Committee
meals are funded by the SPEEA Council and no additional funds are required.
It is moved
that: The SPEEA Council approves THE
CREATION OF A DIVERSITY COMMITTEE AS A STANDING SPEEA COUNCIL COMMITTEE. Its CHARTER IS TO FOSTER DIVERSITY WITHIN
SPEEA AND PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES ASSOCIATED
WITH A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY THAT MAY LEAD TO DISCRIMINATION AND
HARASSMENT. PROVIDE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION TO INCREASE MEMBERS
UNDERSTANDING. TO
PROMOTE UNION INVOLVEMENT IN ALL SEGMENTS OF SPEEA MEMBERS. It is further moved that THE DIVERSITY COMMITTEE WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING 2010 - 2011 SPEEA
COUNCIL BUDGET.
It is again further
moved that THE SPEEA GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
COMMITTEE REVISE SPEEA POLICY TO ADD THE DIVERSITY COMMITTEE TO SECTION III-A.3
STANDING COMMITTEES.