WHEREAS:

12 million disabled persons are currently employed from an estimated population of 36 million disabled Americans; and

WHEREAS:

Disabled persons are often victims of work discrimination in pay, promotion, job advancement, transfers and benefits, as well as victims of discrimination in transportation, housing, public services and education; and

WHEREAS:

Federal laws enacted to protect the rights of the disabled are threatened by the Reagan Administration's attempts to weaken these laws by revising the federal regulations which currently implement them, specifically, those which implement the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS:

The Reagan Administration has unjustifiably taken away Social Security Disability Benefits from hundreds of thousands of disabled persons, causing severe hardship and suicides, and only stopped the review process after a massive public outcry; and

WHEREAS:

There is a decreased commitment to the enforcement of the civil rights legislation which protects the disabled at the state and local level as well; and

WHEREAS:

Many collective bargaining agreements do not include provisions which prohibit employment discrimination against disabled employees or language requiring the employer to provide reasonable accommodations, retention and retraining of disabled employees; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME recognizes discrimination against disabled persons as an important human rights issue and has always fought to end discriminatory practices in employment, housing, education, transportation and other aspects of life that affect the well-being of the American people; and

WHEREAS:

The AFSCME Advisory Committee on the Rights of the Disabled, through its meetings, Public Employee articles and the handbook on the rights of the disabled, has stimulated a great deal of attention within AFSCME about the rights and special needs of disabled members.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will continue to oppose any weakening of the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as at tempts to weaken other federal, state and local laws which protect the rights of the disabled; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will continue to oppose the removal from federal or state disability benefits any disabled person who is deserving of such benefits; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will continue to oppose budget cuts in programs which provide funding for the needs of the disabled; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME and its affiliate councils and local unions support training of staff, shop stewards, and other union representatives on programs affecting the disabled which will help them to enforce existing laws and contract provisions, and protect and expand existing rights of AFSCME's disabled members; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME and its affiliate councils and local unions strive to make union meetings and activities accessible to disabled members and that they organize Affirmative Action Committees whose concerns shall include those of the union's disabled members; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME and its affiliate councils and local unions will support specific contract provisions that protect the employment, retraining, retention and promotion rights of AFSCME's disabled members.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That the AFSCME Advisory Committee on the Rights of the Disabled continue to meet regularly to address the issues facing AFSCME's disabled members.

SUBMITTED BY:

Geri Ruth, Delegate, Local 1549
Al Bilik, Delegate, Local 1502
Council 37
New York, New York