------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the July 15, 2004 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
SERVICE EMPLOYEES SUPPORTS SAME-SEX RIGHTS
Delegates to the annual convention of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have passed a resolution demanding same-sex marriage rights. The progressive measure by the union, which represents 1.7 million members and 120,000 retirees, follows adoption of similar resolutions by several of the union's locals.
The resolution, introduced by the SEIU International Executive Board, states: "This convention affirms SEIU's commitment to equal rights for all our members regardless of sexual orientation. SEIU will make it a collective bargaining and legislative goal to ensure that all members enjoy equal rights and benefits. SEIU will support the right of same-sex couples to access the full and equal rights, responsibilities and commitments of civil marriage and oppose laws in constitutional amendments that deny that right. SEIU will resist any attempt by anti- worker forces to use this issue in elections this year or beyond to divide working people in order to elect candidates with proven track records of favoring corporate special interests at the expense of working families."
In June the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Office and Professional Employ ees International Union both passed anti-Federal Marriage Amend ment resolutions at their conventions, according to Pride At Work--the lesbian, gay, bi and trans constituency group affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
"Pride At Work," the group explains, "is committed to mobilizing mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities around organizing for social, racial and economic justice."
The Federal Marriage Constitutional Amendment, endorsed by President George W. Bush in an election year, will face a vote in the Senate in July. The measure, which aims to bar same-sex marriage on a federal level, "would make it impossible for labor unions and employers to offer equitable benefits packages to all their members and employees," stressed a media statement by PAW. A full listing of unions that have opposed the Federal Marriage Constitutional Amendment is available at the Pride At Work website: www.prideatwork.org.
--Leslie Feinberg
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