The spokes of a wheel connect the hub to the rim, supporting the wheel’s structure and distributing weight. They also maintain stability and absorb force. The Human Rights Committee sees itself as the hub, aiming to support our union’s various committees through advocacy, training and support in human rights and discrimination matters.
Mother Teresa said, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” The Human Rights Committee plans to collaborate with UWUA’s Safety, Young Workers, Women’s, and Veterans committees to ensure all members enjoy these rights.
Safety: Along with industry expert “safety ambassadors,” we’ll work with the Safety Committee to share knowledge and foster a safety culture. By advocating for equal treatment and nondiscriminatory practices, we’ll aim to create workplaces free from prejudices that might compromise safety.
Young Workers: Nelson Mandela stated, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” This committee supports initiatives for young workers, promoting equal employment opportunities, training, and advocacy that lead to young workers becoming more involved in the union and industry. Human Rights Committee members with experience in young worker issues, such as Local 369’s Matthew Marfione and Local 1-2’s Sharon Griffith, can provide valuable insights.
Women: The committee will collaborate with the Women’s Caucus to ensure women are respected, protected, and treated fairly. UWUA must echo the rally cry that “women’s rights are human rights” as we support our sisters across the country.
Veterans: Veterans bring valuable skills but may face unique challenges. We’ll support the Veterans Committee in addressing these challenges, ensuring non-discriminatory practices and an inclusive workplace. We’ll aim to educate employers about laws protecting veterans and advocate for their rights.
As the hub, our committee will follow the UWUA constitution to ensure all members can work safely and feel supported by their union. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “A right delayed is a right denied.” This committee encourages all members to join the fight for justice.
The late Richard Morgan, a vice president of emergency management for Con Edison who was a wealth of knowledge on site safety and swift power restoration and who passed away on 9/11 working as a first responder, always said, “No one of us is as smart as all of us.” His legacy inspires us to make a lasting impact on human rights issues within the UWUA. So we are asking if your local doesn’t have a human rights committee feel free to reach out to me and let’s talk. We’ll work with you to achieve greatness.
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Local presidents: Please help us support your local committees!
UWUA is working to identify where local committees exist across the union including Safety, Women’s, Human Rights, Veterans and Young Workers committees. This database will help promote member engagement and strengthen the UWUA. Reach out to Scotty MacNeill (john.macneill@uwua.net) or Darryl Taylor (dtaylor@uwua.net) to let us know about your active committees. Locals that would like to start a committee, please contact one of the five core group committee chairpersons. Visit www.uwua.net/committees-and-organizations for the committee contact list.