Managing Editor Political Affairs http://www.politicalaffairs.net Also, http://classwarnotes.blogspot.com
>From: "Josh Cazares and Nancy Wohlforth" <paw at aflcio.org>
>Reply-To: notice-reply-kwx68s2p778b7m at unionvoice.org
>To: "Joel Wendland" <joelrw at hotmail.com>
>Subject: Joel, This Is Where We Stand In 2005
>Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 19:23:48 GMT
>
>Dear Joel Wendland,
>
>Too often, we on the left are backed into a corner and forced to
>focus on what we¿re against instead of promoting what we are
>for. As the new year approaches. we¿d like to take a moment and
>tell you what Pride At Work believes in and supports.
>
>We continue to recognize and respect that families come in all
>shapes and sizes. We stand for the right of lesbian, gay,
>bisexual, and transgender people to marry, yet we also respect
>those who choose not to marry. Domestic partnership benefits
>provide indispensable health and family benefits to people who
>would otherwise not have access to those benefits. As we
>continue our push for marriage equality, domestic partnership
>benefits must not be abandoned. Pride At Work will continue to
>work with the labor movement to ensure that our union contracts
>recognize and protect the needs of all families. We will
>continue to demand that all labor organizations take strong
>stands against the federal and state marriage amendments and for
>the right to civil marriage.
>In the United States, over 44 million people lack health
>coverage. Pride At Work believes that all people have a right to
>affordable healthcare. No one should be denied health coverage
>because of a lack of funds or insurance. We call on all health
>insurance providers and union trust funds to fully cover the
>health needs of transgender people.
>We stand in solidarity with our ancestors and allies across
>movements who have worked so hard to make sure that people of
>all races, genders, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender
>identities, and disabilities have access to an equitable and
>fair America. We resolutely say no to any rollbacks in civil
>rights legislation on the federal, state, or local level. We
>demand comprehensive federal legislation that will ban
>employment and housing discrimination on the basis of sexual
>orientation and gender identity / expression. We will not waiver
>in our support for our transgender brothers and sisters. We are
>a diverse community, and we will not support any legislation
>that does not explicitly cover the transgender members of our
>community.
>We stand in solidarity with our union brothers and sisters in
>demanding reform of antiquated labor laws that make it close to
>impossible to organize many workers in the United States. We
>endorse the Employee Free Choice Act, which would strengthen our
>labor laws so that workers who want to organize, can organize.
>Pride At Work will continue to walk the picket lines and educate
>the LGBT community about the growing numbers of working poor in
>this country.
>In addition, we recognize the importance of social security in
>providing a safety net for our seniors. We reject any attempts
>to privatize social security and we also demand the full
>inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in
>social security benefits.
>We will continue to stand firmly against the war in Iraq. We
>believe that preemptive war is unequivocally unjust. We will
>continue to educate the labor movement about the realities of
>this war. We also will work to highlight the story of Iraqi
>labor unionists who bravely disregard President Bush¿s law
>barring labor unions in Iraq, and are organizing Iraqi workers
>anyway.
>Our beliefs are actualized by our 2005 program goals, as agreed
>upon by the Pride At Work National Executive Board. In November,
>the National Executive Board met in Detroit to discuss what our
>primary goals should be for 2005. It was agreed upon that in
>2005, Pride At Work will build membership, funding, and
>leadership so that we can effectively advocate for:
>
>-the defeat of federal and state marriage amendments
>-advocating and fighting for domestic partnership benefits and
>marriage equality
>-fighting for the rights of transgender workers to live without
>fear of harassment and discrimination
>-lobbying for LGBT rights in emerging legislation on both the
>state and federal level
>-educating the LGBT community about worker organizing struggles.
>
>
>Though none of these program tasks can be easily accomplished,
>if we work in the spirit of solidarity, we can move our
>progressive agenda forward and we will stop the current
>conservative onslaught.
>
>As you can see, we have a lot to strive for. Right now, it may
>look like so much of the progress we want seems unattainable.
>But even in times of great political and cultural darkness, our
>voices combined can rise above the fray and create a great
>movement for change. During these difficult times, we are
>reminded of Audre Lorde¿s poem, ¿A Litany For Survival.¿ Lorde,
>an African-American, feminist, lesbian, wrote:
>
>¿and when we speak we are afraid
>our words will not be heard
>nor welcomed
>but when we are silent
>we are still afraid
>So it is better to speak
>remembering
>we were never meant to survive.¿
>
>Pride At Work will continue to speak our truth, the truth of our
>lives, and truth to power. We will not be silenced.
>
>In Solidarity,
>
>Josh Cazares and Nancy Wohlforth
>Co-Presidents
>
>*If our mission, matches your vision, please consider becoming a
>member of Pride At Work, by visiting
>http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/67q2pX919cN8/ .
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>
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>
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>
>If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
>Pride At Work at:
>
>http://www.unionvoice.org/outandorganizing/join.html?r=f1q2pX91-cS6E
>
>--------------------------------------------------
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