CWA Diversity Committee Meeting
November 16-17, 2006
San Antonio, Texas
Meeting Notes
In attendance:
Susie McAllister, Secretary-Treasurer, Local 7704 (Women's Committee)
Keith Robinson, Steward, Local 6310 (COE)
Mary Lou Schaffer, President, Local 13550 (Women's Committee)
Jetty Wells, EVP, Local 4009 (COE)
Annie Hill, Vice President, District 7
Noah Savant, Vice President, District 3
Brooks Sunkett, Vice President, Public, Healthcare and Education Workers
Barbara Easterling, Secretary-Treasurer/Committee Chair
Staff:
Yvette Herrera, Senior Director
Gwend Johnson, Director Human Rights
Mary K. O'Melveny, General Counsel
Sylvia Ramos, CWA Representative District 6
The committee met in San Antonio in order to hear from locals with significant Latino membership. The Committee felt this important because there is not a Latino on the Diversity Committee.
- Local Surveys
On October 26, the CWA Diversity Committee e-mailed a survey to all locals asking for impute by November 10, on how to increase diversity on the Executive Board. The Committee spent time reading through the responses at this meeting. In addition to comments supporting the need to increase diversity on the Executive Board, locals also offered thoughtful comments on how to accomplish this and shared strategies they have used for increasing diversity leadership at their local. The Committee was disappointed with the small number of survey responses received.
- Local Testimony
At this meeting, just as in the first, the Committee heard from local officers on how to increase diversity on the Board and strategies they have used to achieve a diverse and representative Local Board and stewards network. The Committee heard from:
- Judy Lugo, President Local 6186, Texas State Employees Association (TSEU) Local 6143 Panel
- Ralph Cortez, Local President
- Andy Ramos, EVP
- Sylvia Sauseda, Secretary Treasurer
- Alicia Garza, Steward, Legislative Chair, President of San Antonio CLC, District COE representative
- Stephanie Collier, Education Chair
- Proposal Discussion
The Committee spent many hours discussing the component parts of a proposal to increase diversity on the Executive Board. The committee discussed adding at-large diversity members to the Executive Board, their role and possible selection process.
The Committee reviewed once again the demographics of CWA's membership and Executive Board. The membership demographics are from a random sampling of members for a survey taken in November 2004. As with all surveys there is a possible standard deviation up or down.
CWA Membership:
43% Female
57% Male
76% Caucasian
11% African American
8% Hispanic
1% Asian
1% Native American
CWA Executive Board (19 total):
21% Female (4)
79% Male (15)
95% Caucasian (18)
5% African American (1)
- Regional and Identity Groups
At its previous meeting (Oct 25-26), the Diversity Committee heard from Canadian, Puerto Rican and Public Safety local officers. Representatives from each of these groups felt that it was important for them to have a seat on the Executive Board. The Committee wishes to thank these officers for their thoughtful comments and willingness to answer questions.
In its research, the Committee evaluated many factors which it believed must be considered when addressing whether or not to add representatives from these groups to the Board. Most importantly with respect to Canada is the memorandum of agreement signed in July 2006 by Executive Board members and Canadian leaders establishing a Canadian region. The impact on Districts and Sectors currently representing public safety members and members in Canada and Puerto Rico is also an important consideration. As a result of these complicating factors, the Diversity Committee feels it is more appropriate for the Executive Board to look into these requests and is referring the addition of regional and work/professional identity seats to the Executive Board.
- Next meeting: The Committee will meet via conference call December 6, 2006 to continue its deliberations.
