NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EEOC L0CALS No 216, AFGE, AFL-CIO

Office of the President

c/o Denver District Office, EEOC

303 East 17th Avenue, Suite 510, Denver, Colorado 80203

Tele: (303) 866-1337

Fax: (303) 966-1900

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact:        Gabrielle Martin

May 16, 2005                                                                                (303) 725-9079

                                                                                                    Rachel Shonfield

                                                                                                    (305) 496-7939

 

EEOC IGNORES CALLS FROM CONGRESS, LABOR, AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE VOTING ON RESTRUCTURING

 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, founded because of public

outcry, such as the historic March on Washington, now turns a deaf ear to its own constituents.  Despite growing opposition and less than a week after unveiling some details of its nationwide restructuring plan, the civil rights agency intends to press forward with a vote today, Monday May 16.  EEOC employee’s union, members of Congress and civil rights organizations are calling on the agency to postpone its meeting and allow for public comment.

 

Gabrielle Martin, President of the National Council of EEOC Locals, No. 216, AFGE/AFL-CIO, questions the agency’s motives behind calling a “public meeting,” which does not allow for the public to talk.  “What is the EEOC trying to hide?  If the EEOC’s restructuring plans were actually a good thing, or it would better serve victims of discrimination, then you would think they would want to hear from the public.  EEOC should welcome comments from those affected - the public.  Instead you have a situation where they schedule a shotgun vote to make it official, before we even know what it is all about.”

 

Martin is pleased that thoughtful voices committed to the civil rights mission of the EEOC are speaking out.  “Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Barbara Mikulski sent a letter to EEOC Chair Dominguez, signed by twenty five Senate colleagues, asking her to postpone the meeting and open the process.  Congresswoman Lois Capps, along with thirty fellow Congresswomen, wrote a letter to EEOC’s Chair Dominguez.  The Ranking Democrats from the House Labor Committees, and Congresswoman and former EEOC Chair Eleanor Holmes Norton, weighed in as well.  Likewise, Chair Dominguez is hearing from civil rights groups around the country.” 

 

The restructuring plan downgrades one third of the district offices, including, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, New Orleans, San Antonio, Seattle, and Milwaukee.   The Union representing EEOC employees is worried that while the agency talks about cost-savings, the savings will come only if the agency continues its policy of not replacing employees who retire and closes offices in the near future.  Martin states, “I am particularly concerned that this is nothing more than a shell game.  Our staffing is at an all time low and our backlog of cases is exploding.  This plan does not talk about hiring staff.  It is inconceivable that a plan, years in the making, does not get to the heart of the problem.  To help people we need people.”