[nfbmi-talk] From Kevan Worley: Blind Industry Workers of America (BIWA)

[Larry Posont]

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
20812 Ann Arbor Trail
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127

June 24, 2013

Dear Michigan Federationists:

     If you are attending National Convention, please consider
attending the Blind Industrial Workers of America meeting on July 4.
Details follow this letter. I look forward to seeing you at
Convention.

Sincerely,
Larry Posont
President
 National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
 (313) 271-3058
 Email: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
 Web page: www.nfbmi.org

 Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further Donate your car to the
National Federation of the Blind today!
 For more information, please visit:
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
 or call 1-855-659-9314



NFB National Convention Meeting Announcement
Blind Industry Workers of America (BIWA)
July 4, 2013
Salon 6
5PM - 7PM


Greetings colleagues,

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.

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.

The BIWA, a union of Federationists.

*        Building the movement

*        Respect and dignity for all workers

*        Fair wages

*        Better working conditions

*        Equality of opportunity for career advancement

*        21st century training leading to fair pay for real work

*        Blind working men and women have a right to fair treatment
just like everybody else

*        Blind workers speaking for themselves

At your service,

[cid:image001.jpg at 01CDBCF2.C07B8380]

Kevan Worley
Executive Director
National Association of Blind Merchants
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org<mailto:kevanworley at blindmerchants.org>
866-543-6808