Overview of CLUW Contraceptive Equity Project
Goal: Achieving contraceptive equity in all union health care plans. (16.3 million union members in U.S. Approximately 85% get their health care through collective bargaining.)
The Contraceptive Equity Project got off the ground in April, thanks to an initial grant of $15,000 from the Bush Foundation. Since then the project has also received $25,000 (in late September) from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
To date (November 7, 2001), the project has undertaken the following
initiatives:
- Wrote a letter about contraceptive equity and what to do to achieve it (in the name of CLUW President Gloria Johnson) to all AFL-CIO officers (57), all AFL-CIO presidents, members of the CLUW National Executive Board (350), union women's representatives (65);
- Updated material on contraceptive equity on CLUW website;
- Held workshop at CLUW National Executive Board meeting in June in Washington, DC (with Judy Appelbaum, National Women's Law Center);
- Held workshop at CLUE biennial convention in Las Vegas, NV, Oct. 6 (with Judy Appelbaum);
- Held workshop at Maine AFL-CIO Convention (Oct. 31) also briefly addressed plenary session (134 delegates)
- Wrote letters to all women union leaders of state federations (Colorado, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey - included in letters information on the subject CLUW kit, and a suggestion of calling on us at a state event in the near future, noting Maine AFL-CIO workshop;
- Worked to get the AFL-CIO, which since 190 has been on record taking no position on "reproductive issues," to include support of "gender equity in health care" included in its health care resolution at biennial convention to be held in December;
- Worked to get issue to be on the agenda at AFL-CIO's Bargaining for Work and Family issues conference (was supposed to be held Sept. 12…postponed until early 2002);
- Project Director met with Nancy Yanofsky, president of the ProChoice Resource Center, Inc., who is very interested in working with CLUW and NWLC on a conference on contraceptive coverage in union health care plans;
- Updated material added to CLUW website.
Actions that we know of, as a result of our activity:
- Contraceptive equity information appears on website of International Association of Machinists; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; American Federation of Teachers;
- Article on CLUW Contraceptive Equity Project published in womensenews (September 2001);
- CLUW Convention resolution urging AFL-CIO to endorse gender equity in union-negotiated health care plans at upcoming convention is adopted by delegates;
- 200 CLUW Contraceptive Equity kits distributed at CLUW Convention;
- More than 30 women attend CLUW Convention workshop on contraceptive equity;
- All CLUW Convention delegates (1000) receive NWLC booklet on contraceptive equity;
- CLUW Contraceptive Equity Project is emphasized in CLUW Convention speech by President Gloria Johnson;
- Carolyn Jacobson is working on a article for the CLUW Contraceptive Equity Project for ProChoice Ideas, the ProChoice Resource Center's newsletter, as per the request of ProChoice Resource Director Nancy Yanoksky;
- AFSME included its Q&A Fact sheet on contraceptive equity in all kits (1400) for its women's conference; they have also included it in a workshop they ran on trends in collective bargaining;
- Illinois AFL-CIO President will put forth a resolution on the issue at the next convention;
- CO AFL-CIO President has brought the issue to the attention of the state fed women's committee;
- Working with Iowa, and Washington State AFL-CIO to arrange for programs at upcoming conventions, legislative conference.
