Resist Newsletter, June 1998
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Trinity College Trinity College Digital Repository Resist Newsletters Resist Collection 6-30-1998 Resist Newsletter, June 1998 Resist Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, June 1998" (1998). Resist Newsletters. 304. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/304 Inside: Out at Work ISSN 0897-2613 • Vol. 7 #5 A Call to Resist Illegitimate Authority June 1998 Gay & Lesbian Labor Gains a Voice Pride at Work is officially recognized by the AFL-CIO Pride at Work is a national organization of gay, lesbian, bi Work and president of the Utah Coalition of Gay, Lesbian, and sexual and trans gendered labor activists. Formed in 1994, PAW Bi Union Activists and Supporters. He recently spoke with Re received official recognition as a constituency group ofthe AFL sist about the accomplishments and goals ofPride at Work, and CIO in August 1997. Calvin Noyce serves as co-chair ofPride at his own history in the labor movement. CAROLSCHACHET AT&T, this particular woman was going to button and three of those little six inch flags a different part, and I was staying where I you can buy- an American flag, a Utah ell me a little bit about how you got was. She suggested that I become the chief state flag and a pride flag. It was me. It was Tinvolved in the labor movement. steward or area rep-as we called them no different than if I liked a red car or for NOYCE: I first joined the Communication then- to replace her. I said, Well, what else eign movies. It's just me. Workers of America (CWA) back in the do I have to do? You helped found the Utah Coalition of 1970s when I worked as a customer service I was an area rep for a couple of years. Gay, Lesbian and Bi Union Activists and Sup representative for Pacific Telephone. I Then I ended up being secretary-treasurer porters in 1993. How did that group form didn't know anything about unions. of the Labor Council for a year and vice and what the group's goals? While at Pacific Telephone the company president for a year, and then secretary took away our 'close time'- two 15-minute treasurer for another year and then got NOYCE: The group formed because there periods set aside to do outgoing work in elected president. didn't seem to be anything in the labor stead of handling incoming calls. The next movement for us. Obviously there were gay . You just kept moving up the ladder. day the union held a wildcat. I was scared people in the labor movement here like any that I would lose my job, but I didn't. We NOYCE: Well, not really because I wanted where who had nowhere to turn. I talked to won back our half-hour. That was my first to. People kept nominating me for these people, mostly CWA people from U.S. taste of union organizing. things. West, but we had a few other unions in About six months after that particular volved, OP-IU, AFSCME, people that I knew Were you out as a gay man at this time? incident I moved back to Salt Lake City and were either gay or bisexual or lesbian or at signed a union card with U.S. West. The NOYCE: Yes. It didn't seem to make any least straight supporters. With the help of woman who was a chief steward in the of difference to anybody. I guess it also de Utah AFL-CIO President Ed Mayne, we fice encouraged me to become a steward. pends on your definition of 'out.' To me, held an organizing meeting at one of the She said "You 're always asking ques being out doesn't mean you have placards gay bars on a Friday evening. tions." My response was: What do you that hang around your neck that say, "I'm How many members do you think there have to do? a fag" or something. Out, to me, means that were at the beginning? I view myself as equal and I therefore make That's always a good response. And myself equal. When I worked in the busi NOYCE: At the very beginning, it was what did you have to do? ness office I had a picture of my lover at about 10 or 12. Now it's about 28, although NOYCE: She said, "it's no big deal." So I the time on my desk and no one said any it fluctuates. became a steward. With the breakup of thing about it. I had a Gay Union Proud continued on page two Vol. 7, #5 RESIST Newsletter Page I Pride at Work continued from page one in 12 cities around the country with sev at U.S. West said to me, "Cal, you're out eral more starting to form. Membership spoken." And I said, I am? Outspoken by A year later Pride at Work formed at nationwide is about 800. As an official part of my definition meant someone who was kind the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall upris the AFL, we are being asked to get our of a loud mouth, and sort of rude and crude, ing. What did PAW want to accomplish? members active in their local unions, labor the kind of person you really didn't care NOYCE: Like me, other people had thought councils, and state offices. Pride at Work much for. I actually asked other people, we should have something in the labor has a place at the table. We're off to a slow mostly close friends of mine: do you think movement. I didn't know when I formed start because so far, the AFL-CIO still I'm outspoken? "Well, yeah," they said. our group here that there was any hasn't approved our budget. That means And they didn't mean that in a bad other gay and lesbian labor groups. way, in the way that you bad in your In 1993 there was the big gay mind? march in D.C. A paper at the march Out, to me, means that I view included an article about the AFL NOYCE: No! They meant it that it CIO, talking about them having a myself as equal, and I was a good thing. I remember other reception for trade unionists who people saying that they think I'm were coming to Gay Pride, and therefore make myself equal. very honest in what I say and what mentioned GALLAN (Gay and I do. And I thought, well, I guess Lesbian Labor Activist Network) that's probably true. So, if that's in Boston. I was astounded. Boston, San we don't have a lot of money to organize what outspoken means, then I guess I'm Francisco and New York already had formed with and we don't have a staff person yet. an outspoken person. Now, whether that groups that supported gay and lesbian is something other people may want to What is Pride at Work focusing on? workers. emulate, I don't know. It worked for me. NOYCE: Our major priority is working on You were not alone in the universe. Are you encouraged by the accomplish the Federal Employment Non-Discrimina ments of Pride at Work? NOYCE: Exactly. So I started making phone tion Action (ENDA), and health care for calls. Eventually, the phone rang and it was domestic partners. The AFL-CIO has al NOYCE: I think this is a hard struggle, and Tom Barbara from GALLAN- he was sur ready gone on record in favor of the bill, it's very far from being over both in the prised we were doing something in Utah, which has more than 150 co-sponsors in continued on page three as most people are. He told me that the the House. I think we have a better chance other groups were talking about making a than before to get this passed. I can't see national organization, and asked if I would really being involved in something, what be interested in helping. So via conference ever it may be, ifl already think it's a lost calls we planned the New York conference. cause. Without ENDA, it will continue to be The Stonewall meeting must have been completely legal to discriminate against a big deal for you. gay and lesbian workers. Unfortunately, NOYCE: It really was. Pride at Work started it's something we haven't been able to put at that meeting and, of course, there were a lot of focus into yet because of budget elected officers, some by-laws drafted and ary constraints. accepted. I didn't do much because I I think domestic partnership benefits are ILLEGITIMAD AUTIIORlff wasn't an officer. probably a little bit stronger. There's been ,w.,.u"' f,oo,°&( C'-', ~ 1'61 Our second biennial conference was a Jot of progress in that area, and we're For Information and grant guidelines, write to: Resist, 259 Elm Street, Suite 201 held in San Francisco in 1996. I had no in able to build on that momentum. As an ex Somerville, MA 02144 tention of running for anything, but some ample, a few years ago Ron Woods got the [email protected] people at the conference encouraged me UAW at their convention to pass a resolu Resist Newsletter is published ten times a to run for national co-chair. Again I asked: tion to include attempting to get domestic year by Resist, Inc., (617)623-5110.