MRLF seeks nominees for next cohort of Commission on Racial and Economic Justice

From the Minneapols Labor Review, September 27, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS —The Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO is seeking to recruit the next cohort of union leaders and rank and file union members for its Commission on Racial and Economic Justice. The purpose of the Commission is “to develop tools and processes to supplement a growth-oriented strategy that addresses racial disparities within our unions and in our campaigns for the betterment of our unions, people of color and our communities.”

Goals
• Foster unity in the local labor movement related to issues of race equity.
• Increase community affinity for the union movement and encourage worker organizing as solutions to racial and economic injustice in our state.
• Identify strategies to ensure members of color are moving into leadership roles in our unions.
• Advise the MRLF and its affiliated unions on local policy issues, internal organizing, external organizing, community partnerships and workforce development.

Structure
The Commission will be co-chaired by MRLF president Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou and a representative from the MRLF’s People of Color Union Member caucus. The Commission will be made up of 12-16 union members, of which at least 50 percent will be people of color. The make-up should include diversity in race, including immigrants. Women, young people, union leadership, rank and file members and public and private sector unions should be equally represented on the Commission. Additionally, the Commission should have representatives that fall into the following categories: LGBTQ, union organizer, union political organizer, education union, government union, trades union, industrial union, service union, and worker center.
Members will be jointly appointed by the co-chairs. The Commission will report to the executive board of the MRLF and the delegate body of the MRLF as needed.

Commissioners are expected to:
• Believe in the mission and purpose of the Commission.
• Be able to engage in collaborative dialogue with diverse groups.
• Help carry out the work of the Commission in their own unions and communities.

Time Commitment
Commission members should plan on 2-7 hours of Commission-related work each month depending on the stage of the work. This includes Commission meetings, representing the Commission, preparing for meetings, providing feedback in campaign preparation and implementation, and general carrying out of the work of the Commission.
Meetings will vary between daytime and evening to accommodate the diversity of the Commission. Work release funds are available on a case by case basis for rank and file members on the Commission.
All Commission members will be required to participate in a three-day orientation session in November of 2019. Dates to be announced.

Nominations
To nominate yourself or nominate another union member, submit an e-mail with a brief sentence on why you or the person you are nominating would be a good candidate for the Commission. Nominations must include full name, union and local, occupation, mailing address, e-mail and cell phone. Send e-mails to chelsie@minneapolisunions.org or to facilitator Sandra Richardson at srichardson7@comcast.net.