Memphis, TN, September 6, 2012 —
Tennessee Equality Project joins a chorus of voices calling for equal
opportunity in employment for City of Memphis job applicants and workers.
Memphis City Councilman Lee Harris is sponsoring an employment
non-discrimination ordinance which would expand current workplace protections
to include age and disability.
A coalition
of City of Memphis employees, employee associations, unions and community
advocates supports expansion of the current ordinance to include age and
disability as well as sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender
expression to ensure unbiased decisions for these non-merit factors in city
employment. Coalition leaders believe that the ordinance must be amended at the
third reading of the ordinance to include the above non-merit factors as
prohibited forms of bias in the workplace. The Memphis City Council will vote
on this ordinance on Tuesday, September 18, 2012.
Here’s what
coalition leaders are saying:
"The
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has led
the way among unions demanding equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender workers," said Chad Johnson, Executive Director of AFSCME
Local 1733. "AFSCME has long believed that employment decisions should be
made on the basis of an individual's ability to perform a job. Workers should
not live in fear of losing their jobs or being denied promotions because of
their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age or
disability. AFSCME Local 1733 supports adding
age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to
the non-discrimination ordinance for the City of Memphis."
Memphis
Police officers work in a department that reflects the diverse characteristics
of race, ethnicity, religious belief, political affiliation, age, ability, and
sexual orientation in the community they serve. According to Officer Michael
Williams, “the Memphis Police Association supports an employment
non-discrimination ordinance which reflects this diversity and protects city
employees. We believe that officers who are protected from unfair employment
discrimination on the job will do better at protecting the safety of all people
in the community they serve.”
As a
Lieutenant for the Memphis Fire Department with 18 years as firefighter, Gordon
Ginsberg believes in treating the firefighters in his company fairly and
equally on the job: "No one should have to fear losing their job or being
passed over for advancement because of who they are. It's always about who can
get the job done. Non-merits factors like race, religion, sex, ethnicity,
national origin, political affiliation, age, disability, sexual orientation,
gender identity or veteran status should never play a part in employment
decisions or workplace practices. I believe we Memphians need a clear specific
ordinance for a few reasons. One, I believe it will help me execute my duties
within the chain-of-command by underscoring the City of Memphis' commitment to
our values. Another is to assure and reassure beyond any doubt that the rights
of workers under my supervision will be protected. A third is to reinforce the
seriousness among all employees of respecting workplace rights. I support an
inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for City of Memphis employees.
The
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) supported previous
efforts to expand the list of non-merit factors in the City of Memphis
non-discrimination ordinance. IBEW Local 474 Business Manager Paul Shaffer
recently confirmed IBEW’s continued support for a comprehensive ordinance that
includes age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender
expression.
“Employment
discrimination strips away the right of workers to be judged on their merits
and abilities,” said Madeleine C. Taylor, Executive Director of the Memphis
Branch of the NAACP. “Every American must be allowed to contribute to society
without facing unfair discrimination on account of race, sex, religion, age,
disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Our fight for social justice
will continue until all can be protected in the work place. The NAACP supports
an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Memphis
that includes the above factors to protect city workers. Other Tennessee cities
have assumed their responsibility in protecting the rights of city
workers and
Memphis should do the same.”
ADAPT of
Tennessee is a chapter of National ADAPT, a grass-roots community that
organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action,
including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people
with disabilities to live in freedom.
Americans with disabilities have not enjoyed equal access to
transportation, housing, and employment. Josue Rodriguez of ADAPT of Tennessee
recognizes other marginalized groups in our society who have not enjoyed equal
opportunity in Memphis: "ADAPT fully supports an inclusive employment
non-discrimination ordinance that expands current protections for City of
Memphis workers to include age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender
identity."
The Shelby
County Democratic Party has supported LGBT-inclusive initiatives for equality
along with President Barack Obama. Van
Turner, Shelby County Democratic Party Chair, states that “the party
wholeheartedly supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance
for City of Memphis employees. Considering that Nashville, Knoxville and Oak
Ridge have already enacted similar measures, Memphis must move swiftly to
demonstrate our commitment to equality and inclusion for all.”
“The members
of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center wholeheartedly support the passage of
an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for employees of the City of
Memphis,” states Executive Director Jacob Flowers. “We know first-hand that
workers suffer from discrimination in a variety of workplaces. It is important
that our city show the way forward for other entities in our region by passing
such an ordinance. Plus, it puts us on par with other municipalities in
Tennessee that have passed similar laws to protect its workers. As elected
representatives of the citizens of Memphis, it is our hope, that you would seek
to lessen the chances of discrimination by any means, this is one simple step
that can be taken.”
“Work is an
essential part of who we are as Americans, as Mid-Southerners, and as human
beings,” says Will Batts, Executive Director of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian
Community Center (MGLCC). “It is no longer acceptable that gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender employees must live in fear in their own workplace.
Justice demands that each employee be judged simply by their ability to do the
job. City government, especially, must lead the way in treating each of our
citizens with the dignity, respect and fairness that we all deserve. MGLCC
absolutely supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance that
expands current protections for City of Memphis workers to include age,
disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
The
Tennessee Equality Project joins the coalition of support for equal opportunity
in the workplace and an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for City of
Memphis employees. It’s time for Memphis to join other cities of comparable
size and larger as well as Tennessee cities like Nashville and Knoxville which
already prohibit employment discrimination based on age, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity and gender expression. TEP calls on the Memphis
City Council to amend the current ordinance by including the above non-merits
factors on Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2012.
CONTACT:
Jonathan Cole
Tennessee Equality Project
JMCole1970@gmail.com
901-301-3306
tnep.org
