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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=kevanworley@blindmerchants.org href="mailto:dandrews@visi.com>)">Kevan
Worley (by way of David Andrews <dandrews@visi.com>)</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org">nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, June 24, 2013 9:26 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Nfbnet-members-list] Blind Workers Being
Organized</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Greetings colleagues,<BR> <BR>Dr. Maurer has asked Anil
Lewis and me to lead an effort reconstituting the Blind Industrial Workers of
America. As our battle for fair wages continues, we must reach more blind
workers. It is important to harness their experience and expertise earned in the
trenches on the front line for the common effort. National Industries for the
Blind (NIB) makes much of the fact that they do not pay blind workers less than
the minimum wage on Federal AbilityOne contracts. They often conveniently ignore
the million-dollar contracts they perform for state government and private
industry. Many NIB shops are less than forthcoming about the thousands of blind
men and women who toil day after day, month after month, year after year in
so-called work activity centers. NIB says these "work activity centers" are not
work, but "training and rehabilitation." These work activity centers fill
contract orders for products. They enhance the bottom line of the NIB agency. We
know of Federation members with college degrees who have attempted to gain
advancement to the front office without equal consideration with their sighted
peers. We know of shops in which jokes about the blind are routine among sighted
supervisors on the factory floor. It is not uncommon for a workshop to provide
"rehab training" under a contract to the state rehabilitation agency. Talk about
sitting in the cat bird seat. They get paid to provide "blindness skills
training" which allows them to channel some workers into a work activity center
from which the shop profits from those same clients doing subminimum wage work
on state contracts. The shop then regularly administers demeaning time tests
which will then allow the shop in the cat bird seat to channel some clients to
positions on the factory floor, which best suits the needs of the sighted
highly-paid custodians. We need a strong union of Federationists with the
courage to confront the unfair, discriminatory and corrupt regimes prevalent in
many shops, whether they are NIB, NISH or any other work environment. When
non-profit or for-profit companies treat blind employees with respect, dignity
and equality of opportunity, they will welcome the creation of the National
Federation of the Blind Industrial Workers of America. When they do not, the
BIWA will be on the front line ready to investigate, publicize and act.
<BR> <BR>The Blind Industrial Workers of America has a proud tradition in
the history of the Federation. Please let our colleagues know about our upcoming
information organizational meeting. If you know of members working in JWOD
programs or other direct labor, or members of your affiliate have an interest in
learning about and supporting the effort of the BIWA, please encourage their
attendance at our meeting. It will be on July 4th. We expect the meeting to take
less than 2 hours. We will meet immediately following the afternoon convention
session on Thursday, July 4. We will meet in Salon 6. Please announce on your
state listserves, at your convention caucuses and in your
delegation.<BR> <BR>The BIWA, a union of
Federationists.<BR>· Building the
movement<BR>· Respect and dignity for
all workers<BR>· Fair
wages<BR>· Better working
conditions<BR>· Equality of
opportunity for career
advancement<BR>· 21st century training
leading to fair pay for real work<BR>·
Blind working men and women have a right to fair treatment just like everybody
else<BR>· Blind workers speaking for
themselves<BR> <BR> <BR>At your service,<BR> <BR><IMG
alt=cid:image001.jpg@01CDBCF2.C07B8380
src="cid:AA396DDF55AD440689981C6146EE26AF@home8a3bcd83aa" width=215 height=50>
<BR> <BR>Kevan Worley<BR>Executive Director<BR>National Association of
Blind Merchants<BR><A
href="mailto:kevanworley@blindmerchants.org">kevanworley@blindmerchants.org</A>
<BR>866-543-6808<BR> <BR><BR><BR>
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