[nfbmi-talk] snyder on jobs for pwd

[Terry D. Eagle]

The words are one thing, and the actions are another reality.  Meijer, Inc.
is NOT the great company and stellar employer of persons with disabilities,
at least the blind, that is bragged about in the article below.  Just ask
Mark Eagle about his experience upon arriving for a job interview at the
Meijer production facility referred to in the article.  And the Michigan
Civil Rights Commission did not want to deal with Meijer's discrimination
practice 

Meijer mentioned both Peckham and Goodwill as sources of persons with
disAvilities for employees.  Well, we all know the attitude and record of
both Peckham and Goodwill with respect to employment of persons with
disabilities, especially the blind;  submimum slave wages, and refusal to
make simple reasonable accommodations for the blind to even attempt
employment in positions offering above slave wages, like in the U.S.
contracted Passport Center at Peckham in Lansing.  Mark Eagle can also speak
to Peckham's discriminatory practices toward blind persons.  It appears
Meijer, Inc., has adopted the attitude of Peckham, Goodwill Industries, and
the State of Michigan toward blind persons and employment.  And again, The
Michigan Civil Rights Commission desires to not deal with complaints of
discrimination against blind persons, whether it be Meijer, Inc., Peckham,
or the State of Michigan.

Finally, Mr. Governor, the State of Michigan has a long way to go toward
exemplary demonstrated equal opportunity for employment, as well as simple
access to programs, services, and facilities, by persons with disabilities,
before expecting from the private sector, that which the State of Michigan
is not dedicated to demonstrate for equal opportunity for persons with
disabilities, especially blind persons.  Such shift and change of attitude
will not occur with administrators like Steve Arwood, Edward Rodgers, and a
puppet advisory commission, who believe they know best for we the blind.
What is needed is the restoration of true active participation by we the
blind,  in the policy-making implementation, and evaluation of all things
related to blindness, which was ripped away from us, without input, by the
Steve Arwood authored Executive Orders of 2012.


Governor Snyder Stresses Importance of Hiring People with Disabilities
November 19, 2013

As Michigan businesses look to diversify employee bases, Governor Snyder is
encouraging Michigan employers to hire qualified workers with disabilities.
The second annual Business Summit on Disability Employment was held
yesterday in
Lansing, where Governor Snyder spoke to attendees about the benefits of
employing people with disabilities and also participated in an audience
question and answer session.

Rick Keyes, executive vice president of supply chain operations and
manufacturing
for Meijer, Inc., and keynote speaker at the event, shares his thoughts and
best
practices.
Tell us a little about Meijer's commitment to hiring people with
disabilities.
Meijer has a longstanding commitment to hiring people with disabilities.  We
have
worked very hard during the last four years to seek out opportunities to
hire people
with disabilities in Supply Chain and Distribution.  We began this
initiative in
our Fresh Assembly facility in Lansing and this initiative now includes more
than
30% of our workforce at that facility.
Meijer is very excited about this initiative.  It is changing our culture
and positively
impacting the lives of people in communities we serve.
How have you seen success in hiring? Are there training programs, a support
team
or specific initiatives that help employees succeed and grow at Meijer?
We have experienced tremendous success with this program and continue to
build partnerships
across our five-state footprint.  Our partnership with Peckham in Michigan
has helped
us to identify candidates and have them join our workforce.  They have
helped provide
training for our team members as well as our leadership team.  We continue
to see
increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved engagement.
How do programs like yours benefit not only the employer, but the employee?
I wouldn't underestimate the impact this is having on our employees.  They
are achieving
financial freedom and independence.  The sense of pride they have in the job
they
are doing is contagious.  It's not only impacting our team members who have
joined
us through this program, but our current employees as well.  I am also very
pleased
about the effect this is having on our leadership culture.  Our teams are
focusing
on ability and helping our new team members be successful versus focusing on
a disability.
Do you have any best practices to share with other employers?
Key to success in this initiative is strong executive support from the
highest levels
of the organization.    Secondly, finding a good partner, like Peckham, that
understands
your culture and objectives will help you in your journey.
What strategies do you use to find a diverse pool of candidates with
disabilities?
We have been actively vetting partners in all our facilities, such as
Peckham (Lansing),
Goodwill Industries, and Kandu (Lakeshore) who can help us find the right
people
who are the right fit for Meijer operations.
wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Rick-Keyes1.jpg
Rick is the executive vice president of supply chain operations and
manufacturing
for Meijer, Inc., the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer that operates
more than
200 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois
and Kentucky.
For a list of resources for people with disabilities, visit
http://www.michigan.gov/disabilityresources/0,4563,7-223-40851-,00.html

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joe
harcz Comcast
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 12:57 PM
To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] snyder on jobs for pwd

http://blog.michiganadvantage.org/great-companies/governor-snyder-stresses-i
mportance-of-hiring-people-with-disabilities/
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