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"GLBT": It Stands for "A Union Issue"

As times change, so does the range of issues a good union steward must be familiar with in order to serve the needs of members. A good illustration is concerns related to sexual orientation and identity that come up in the workplace.

Not too many years ago, the existence and the needs of those outside of the mainstream society's definition of sexual identity were pretty much ignored, and the question of their rights was just about universally a non-issue. To say that things have changed in recent decades is a huge understatement. More and more people, from all walks of life, are "out," and both the larger society and labor unions are engaged in lively discussion and action over issues including discrimination based on sexual orientation, marriage rights, and equal access for gays to the union contract rights and other benefits that are available to straight people.

Insufficient Legal Protection

But for all the advances in getting rid of this type of second-class citizenship, there's still quite a ways to go. In the United States, the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would outlaw employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, has not yet been enacted into law. While 11 states bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, the absence of federal legislation means that discrimination is not illegal in 39 states. In Canada both the Human Rights Act and legislation in all provinces and territories now outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation, but transgendered people aren't covered except in the Northwest Territories. ("GLBT" stands for "gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered" with that last category referring to someone who is not comfortable with or rejects the traditional definition of gender identity.)

The day-to-day consequences of the lack of legal protection are broad and serious. Without the protection of a union contract, for example, most American workers have not legal recourse if they are fired because they're gay. And if your union contract, like most, gives rights based on marital status, you will be able to get health care coverage or to use leave time to care for you ill life partner only if you're straight (since gay marriage is not quite yet a reality).

Leadership Recognizes the Issues

The national labor federations in the U.S. and Canada now each have an arm that focuses the organization's work on these issues, and countless national and local unions have placed these items high on their bargaining and legislative agendas. What's the basis for this understanding that GLBT issues are union issues?

the fundamental union principle is fairness, and every union member deserves the protection the union offers; it simply doesn't matter whether that member is black or white, male or female, or gay or straight;
since discrimination against GLBT people and assigning them to second-class citizenship is perfectly legal in so many instances, there's extra importance to achieving protection in the workplace that only a union can win;
unions increasingly are becoming a voice heard louder and clearer outside the workplace, including in the political arena. So they have the power to be a leading force for equal rights for GLBT people, just as they often have been for women, people of color, and others treated unfairly in society;
looking the other way when any type of discrimination exists in the workplace plays right into the employer's hands; the oldest trick in the book for keeping workers weak as a group is to divide and conquer. For the maximum power in any fight the union has with the employer, its needs the unity of all groups in the workplace.

The Steward's Job

What's your job as a steward in fighting against these kinds of discrimination in the workplace and working toward equal rights? The main battlefront is usually the collective bargaining agreement. Contract provisions that include sexual orientation and identity on the list of prohibited types of discrimination are becoming increasingly common, as are extending various benefits -- health care, sick and bereavement leave, and so on -- to an employee's gay or lesbian partner. And once the contract rights are won, your role as the "eyes and ears" of the union and as an advocate for members' rights means that you've got a key role to play both in educating your co-workers as to their collective bargaining protections and in uncovering instances of unfair treatment so that the union can use the grievance procedure or other tools to ensure equality. Outside the workplace, you can make legislative and other links between GLBT issues and other union issues.

Finally, a word to straight union steward brothers and sisters: as in every other aspect of your work as a union representative, non one expects you to be an instant expert in this particular set of issues. The only reasonable expectation is that you understand the importance of working for fair treatment for your GLBT co-workers, and that you turn to others for the background information you may need. In addition to resources provided by the AFL-CIO and the Canadian Labour Congress, many national and local unions now have either departments or caucuses that focus specifically on these issues. And, of course, the likelihood is that in your workplace are fellow workers who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered: the estimate today is that around five percent of the population -- one in 20 persons -- are GLBT. Your responsibility is simply to consult with "out" co-workers so you can learn what you need to know to be effective in this part of your job.

--Michael Mauer. The writer is author of The Union Member's Complete Guide.

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