19-June-2000 08:25 AM
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In this issue:
The Coca-Cola Company to be targeted during Pride Festival
During this year's Atlanta Pride celebration, our company will be targeted as a company that treats its gay and lesbian employees unfairly. During Sunday's parade, the Georgia Equality Project will have two floats. One showcasing three Atlanta companies with good track records for their treatment of gay and lesbian employees. And the other, showcasing three Atlanta companies with poor track records for their treatment of gay and lesbian employees. We will be on the "poor track-record" float. This is primarily because of our lack of domestic partnership benefits.
Senior management is aware of this, and Juan Johnson (VP of Diversity Issues) has met with the director of the GEP to discuss this. If The Coca-Cola Company announces plans to begin work on implementing DP benefits this week, we will be taken off the float and not targeted.
The KOLAGE Executive Steering Committee wanted to make everyone aware of this so that no one is caught by surprise when they see Coca-Cola included in the targeting. Please do not let this discourage you from attending the Pride celebration this year.
Pride Sponsorship
This year, the Atlanta Pride celebration is sponsored by Pepsi. I spoke with David Raines in Stephen Jone's office (Global Marketing) about ensuring our sponsorship next year. This was an oversight, and should not be taken as a deliberate act of The Company. This is the first and should be the last year that Pepsi is a sponsor for Atlanta Pride.
Again, please do not let this discourage you from attending Pride.
Meetings around Diversity and DP Benefits
On June 8, I met with Jack Bergstrand, VP of the Business Systems Group. He was glad to start a dialogue with our group and wants to keep lines of communication open. He reaffirmed his commitment to diversity and will not tolerate any discrimination within BSG.
On June 12, I met with Kim Magee, HR Manager for BSG. She wanted it made clear, that she will not tolerate any discrimination. If any one within the BSG organization feels they are being discriminated against due to their sexuality (or any other factor) please bring it to her attention. If you are uncomfortable going to Kim, you can bring it to the KOLAGE ESC's attention and we will bring it to Kim.
If you feel you have any problems in other areas please bring them to KOLAGE ESC's attention, and we will be happy to meet with your HR manager or other senior management.
On June 16, I met with Juan Johnson, VP of Diversity Issues. Juan emphasized to me that he intended to recommend implementing DP benefits to senior management. He and Coretha Rushing are committed to the idea of bringing DP benefits to The Coca-Cola Company.
SENATE HATE CRIMES VOTE ON TUESDAY-ACT NOW!
ACTION ALERT from the Human Rights Campaign
919 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
email: hrc@hrc.org
WWW: http://www.hrc.orgSENATE HATE CRIMES VOTE ON TUESDAY-ACT NOW!
THIS IS IT! The Senate has agreed to debate the Hate Crimes Prevention Act on Monday June 19 and to vote on it on Tuesday June 20 at 3:15 p.m. EDT. The Senate will consider and vote on two versions of the Hate Crimes bill. Senator Hatch will offer one version and Senator Kennedy will offer the other, which is called the "Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2000".
The Senate has agreed to vote on these bills in part because Senators have received nearly 1,500 faxes on the hate crimes bill generated through HRC's Online Action Center since last Tuesday! If everyone who receives this e-mail sends a fax to their Senator, we can generate over 10,000 faxes in support of this legislation. SO EVEN IF YOU ALREADY HAVE DONE SO, SEND A FAX AND PLACE A CALL, URGING YOUR SENATOR TO VOTE FOR THE KENNEDY HATE CRIMES AMENDMENT AND AGAINST THE HATCH PROPOSAL.
To send the fax (at no cost to you), log on to HRC's Online Action Center by clicking on the link below (or going to www.hrc.org) and then clicking on "Take Action!" Once in the Action Center, go to the alert that says SENATE HATE CRIMES VOTE ON TUESDAY-ACT NOW! You will find more information about the amendment and you can automatically send a fax to your Senator. We provide contact information and sample language that you can change it to make it more personal if you wish.
Forward this email message to all your friends and family, and thank you for taking this important action in the fight for equality.
Get involved in HRC's online efforts.
Visit http://www.hrc.org and take action!
HRC hails Automakers' unprecedented move to offer Domestic Partner Benefits to same-sex partners
NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign
919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
email: hrc@hrc.org
http://www.hrc.orgHRC HAILS AUTOMAKERS' UNPRECEDENTED MOVE TO OFFER DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX PARTNERS
Decision by Big Three Punctuates Growing Trend to Offer All Employees Equal Benefits for Equal Work, Says HRC
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign hailed as unprecedented the announcement today by the Big Three automakers that they plan to offer health coverage to the same-sex domestic partners of their employees.
"This is a landmark announcement," said Kim I. Mills, HRC's education director who oversees WorkNet, the organization's workplace project. "Never before have we seen virtually an entire industry, along with its leading union, announce domestic partner benefits simultaneously. And the fact that these are three of the largest companies in America, with hundreds of thousands of employees, demonstrates that domestic partner benefits are becoming a standard business practice."
The three automakers -- DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. - issued a joint announcement today, along with the United Auto Workers. The decision to offer the benefits came after a pledge to study the subject that was part of current United Auto Workers and other labor union contracts, according to the auto companies and the UAW. The expanded coverage will begin Aug. 1, with specific details left up to each company. To qualify for benefits, employees will have to meet certain criteria, which include being in a committed relationship with a partner of the same-sex for no less than six months.
"By taking this step together, the Big Three have bolstered the traditional American value of equal pay for equal work, regardless of sexual orientation" Mills said. "Domestic partner benefits are one of the strongest signals a company can give to demonstrate that it values its lesbian and gay employees."
More than 3,400 private and public employers provide these benefits to their employees. Since the beginning of this year, an average of nine employers have announced these benefits each week, according to HRC's WorkNet, which tracks such trends. Many of America's leading companies offer these benefits, including: IBM, Microsoft, Shell Oil, Walt Disney, Fannie Mae, Citigroup, Xerox, Time Warner and United and American Airlines. With today's announcement, at least 97 Fortune 500 companies provide these benefits or have announced that they intend to. This includes at least 12 that have announced the benefits since January. Additionally, more than half of the Fortune 500 include sexual orientation in their written non-discrimination policy. (A complete list is available on HRC's website at www.hrc.org/worknet).
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
Great Turnout at Joe's
We had a great time at Joe's on Juniper. About 20+ people came and enjoyed a good meal and a good time! It was so much fun, we plan to do it again soon! We'll keep you posted.
Miscellaneous
Distribution List Changes
Only two members of the ESC maintain the distribution list for the KOLAGE update: Robert C. Marshall and John Lane. For any changes to the distribution list (e.g. moving your name from blind copy to carbon copy, vice versa, or changing your email address) please contact either Robert or John.If you know someone who would like to be added to the distribution list please have them contact either Robert or John.
Clearing House
If you would like to host or organize an event for KOLAGE members, let the ESC know. We will publish it in the next bulletin. If you do not want your name included in the bulletin, one of the ESC members will act as the contact, and pass the information on to you.