The Minority Advancement Department formulates its Strategic Plan based on LIUNA’s goals of Increasing Marketshare, Mandatory Apprenticeship, Enhanced Political Action, Membership Activism, and Immigrant Rights.

This plan takes into consideration those recommendations included in G.E.B. Resolution 6 – Minority Advancement (Committee on Organization and the Future) passed at the 2006 National Convention.

The resolution recognizes LIUNA’s history of welcoming minorities, immigrants, and women into our organization. It emphasizes and encourages the value of their input in achieving the five major goals of the organization. The resolution also reaffirms the International’s commitment to reflecting diversity in membership participation, elected leadership, staff and training opportunities.

The Department’s mission is to facilitate the achievement of LIUNA’s goals by increasing communication and serving as a liaison between the International and the three LIUNA Caucuses – African American, Hispanic, and Women - and other LIUNA Departments. It will also work outside of LIUNA to increase communication and build coalitions around shared goals and values with outside minority advocacy political, religious, social justice, community and union constituency groups.

LIUNA encourages each member to embrace the mission and goals set forth in the Department’s strategic plan and view minority advancement as an integral part of his/her responsibility as a union member.

The goals and objectives of the Department are both internal and external:

WITHIN LIUNA

Work with Departments within LIUNA to assist in their efforts towards attaining LIUNA’s major goals.

Organizing Department
o Work within residential organizing campaign, through their community coalition efforts to craft and deliver our message more effectively when reaching out to represent members of minority groups and women
o NDLON
o PWF
o CLUE

o Work within the regional roadmap organizing campaigns, when requested by the regions by forming coalitions with community outreach/social justice/economic development organizations

o Form coalitions with religious organizations to build strategic alliances between labor and faith communities to create a support network of religious leaders to support workers’ rights
o Interfaith Worker Justice
o National Baptist Convention, Inc.
o National Baptist of America
o National Council on Churches

Legislative and Political Department
o National - Get involved with national political advocacy organizations to facilitate issue engagement for the Department, caucuses and regions, to contribute to the national dialogue and to assist in deliver LIUNA message to support workers’ rights
o Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
o National Coalition for Black Civic Participation
o National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
o National Partnership for Women & Families
o Immigrant Rights Organizations

o Electoral - Assist in political outreach and action campaigns in communities of color and women for the 2008 Elections - Political Dept will identify districts with contested congressional races and large minority populations

o Represent LIUNA membership diversity by involvement with national and state legislative caucuses’ labor roundtables, committees and conferences

Strategic Communications Department
o Include Minority Department calendar of events on LIUNA Site at least 2-4 months in advance to allow for schedule planning and travel
o Submit member interest stories or information from Department and/or caucuses, recap of events, and issues of interest to post in strategic communications
o Assist in reviewing “LIUNA Builds America” toolkit materials
o Host and Link LIUNA Caucus websites on LIUNA Site

Public Affairs Department
o Revise Department Brochure

Education Department
o Coalition Building - Leadership II
o Presentation on Importance of Coalition Building w/outside organizations
o Develop coalition building video for class and distribution to locals

Public Employee Department
o Diversity Workshop - Leadership
o Presentation of Importance of Being Culturally Competent in the Workplace

Provide a forum where LIUNA Caucus leaders can exchange information and ideas of concern to members within their respective groups, give support for union leadership development, and provide a voice for caucus concerns.

Minority Advancement Conference – Bi Annual

Quarterly Combined LIUNA Caucus Steering Committee Meetings
o Meet with Caucus Steering Committee Representatives and Mailhandler Representative
o Caucuses will update Dept. On activity and plans for future projects
o Dept will update Caucuses on Dept. activities and plans

Upon request, work with LIUNA Caucuses on projects

Department and Caucus Representation at all LIUNA Conferences
o Department coordinates booth and material set up

LIUNA Caucus Regional Coordinators
o Work with regional coordinators designated by each LIUNA Caucus
o Facilitate regional caucus meetings of the three LIUNA Caucuses

OUTSIDE LIUNA

Work with union constituency groups

Work with the groups on worker rights/political action activities
o Coalition of Black Trade Unionists -CBTU
o A Phillip Randolph Institute - APRI
o Labor Council for Latin American Advancement - LCLAA
o Coalition for Labor Union Women - CLUW
o Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – APALA

Encourage locals to encourage members to join, be active in their local chapters and national boards, and attend conferences