WHEREAS, the Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO (SEIU, International) currently does not carry out a regular census count of its membership to assess the racial and ethnic demographic make-up of the Union; and as stated in the New Strength Unity Plan, adopted in 2000, Principal 10, page 23, Report 3), Union leaders, staff, and programs should “reflect the diversity of our current, future, and retired membership”; the most recent data collected by the SEIU Research Department, in 1998, reflects that African American membership makes up twenty-three percent (23%) of overall membership, (44% Caucasian, 16% Latino, 5% Asian Pacific Islander, and 2% Other); and,

WHEREAS, AFRAM does not have a fundraising apparatus for the purpose of supporting SEIU endorsed African American candidates seeking elected office; without an AFRAM political action committee (AFRAM PAC), AFRAM cannot effectively reinforce resources allocated by SEIU locals and the International Union to support candidate or issue campaigns;

WHEREAS, SEIU’s African-American Caucus (AFRAM) does not have a nationally organized member training and mobilization structure focused on preparing and lending “on the ground” member support to Caucus adopted issue campaigns, organizing drives, as well as candidates running for elected office; and,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, SEIU AFRAM affirms that Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO should engage in an accurate bi-annual census count of its membership to include a quantitative assessment of the racial and ethnic make up of the Union; and, that AFRAM should establish an independent Political Action Committee to support the political activities of the AFRAM Caucus; and, that AFRAM must develop a Caucus member training and mobilization structure to support SEIU organizing drives, endorsed candidates of African descent, and issue campaigns affection Africa, the African American community, and the greater African Diaspora; and,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that AFRAM, of SEIU, pending study by the Executive Board, supports and will work diligently to assist and encourage International and local officers and staff to adhere to Principle Ten (10) of the New Strength Unity Plan; and, adopt the practice of an accurate bi-annual census count of SEIU membership that includes a demographic breakdown of membership race and ethnicity; and, AFRAM will establish an independent PAC to support and provide resources to support the work of the AFRAM member political education and mobilization structure as well as to benefit endorsed candidates and issue campaigns; and, will develop and implement a national membership training and mobilization program for the benefit of supporting SEIU organizing drives, endorsed candidates and issues.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE TROOPS ABROAD 
AND AT HOME.

WHEREAS, young men and women have participated in all of America’s wars; and,

WHEREAS, these men and women have fought for freedom for all Americans; and,

WHEREAS, SEIU has members whose loved ones are in the Armed Services; and,

WHEREAS, these brave men and women are devoted to their family members; and,

WHEREAS, the greatest sacrifice of ‘life’ could fall on any of these men and women; and,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that AFRAM, the National Caucus of People of African Descent of SEIU supports our troops at home and in the Middle East; and,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that AFRAM, the National Caucus of People of African Decent of SEIU calls upon SEIU and it’s officers to support the troops and home and abroad.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

  RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT HR44, REPARATIONS.

WHEREAS, Africans were forced from their home lands, suffered through the middle passage, and

WHEREAS, Africans were enslaved and suffered inhuman treatment in America, and

WHEREAS, Africans were considered property by the Americans that purchased them, and

WHEREAS, these Africans were forced to work without compensation, but amassed their slave owners enormous wealth; and

WHEREAS, these Africans were insured by American insurance companies because of their value to their American owners; and

WHEREAS, these Africans helped to build the United States; and

WHEREAS, these new African Americans were economically and socially deprived; and

WHEREAS, these African Americans, nor their ancestors, were compensated for their hundreds of years of forced labor; and

WHEREAS, SEIU has among it’s membership a large number of African American members; and

WHEREAS, the House of Representatives has a Bill (HR44) 
before it; and

WHEREAS, HR44 calls for compensation to “all” African Americans through REPARATIONS; and,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that AFRAM, the National Caucus of People of African Descent of SEIU affirms the importance of HR44 to “all” African Americans; and,

NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that AFRAM, the National Caucus of People of African Decent of SEIU calls upon SEIU and it’s officers to support HR44 REPARATIONS.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO REQUEST FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM ALL LOCALS WITHIN SEIU FOR ATTENDEES TO THE CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CAUCUS OF SEIU.

WHEREAS, all National African American Caucus (AFRAM) members are active or retiree members of SEIU; and

WHEREAS, some of the attendees to the Conference of the National African American Caucus (AFRAM) of SEIU, have not received financial support from their respective Locals to attend the Conference; and

WHEREAS, the such lack of financial support has resulted in hardship to members of AFRAM and SEIU; and

NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Caucus of People of African Decent (AFRAM) of SEIU will send letters to all Locals prior to National AFRAM conferences, the purpose of which, will be to ask the Locals to send delegates to the conference and to provide financial support to those delegates, and calls upon SEIU and it’s officers to encourage SEIU Locals to send delegates to the National AFRAM conference and to provide financial support to their delegates.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO ALL SEIU LOCALS OF ALL SEIU CONVENED MEETINGS

WHEREAS, all Locals should set aside funds to provide assistance to active leaders who want to attend caucus conferences, and

WHEREAS, AFRAM should send a letter to all Local, prior to AFRAM conferences, the purpose of the letter will be to ask the Locals to send delegates and to pay the costs for those delegates.

NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that AFRAM send a letter to all Local, prior to AFRAM conferences, the purpose of the letter will be to ask the Locals to send delegates and to pay the costs for those delegates.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE RACIAL PRIVACY INITIATIVE

WHEREAS, Ward Connerly’s Proposition 209 led to banning racial preferences in California Public hiring, education, and contracting; and

WHERAS, Ward Connerly is now leading a new vanguard to end racial classifications all together in California; and

WHEREAS, it is called the “Racial Privacy Initiative”; and

WHEREAS, it says that the :State has no valid reasons to continue to collect data on its citizens”; and

WHEREAS, that data includes race, or to racially classify its citizens for any purpose; and

WHEREAS, the American Civil Rights Coalition supports the Racial Privacy Initiative; and

WHEREAS, the Racial Privacy Initiative is certified for the March 2004 primary election; and

WHEREAS, Connerly’s and ACR’s logic is that a persons skin color or their racial heritage is none of the Government’s business; and

WHEREAS, SEIU is diverse and ethnically rich in its make-up; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that SEIU African American Caucus oppose the Racial Privacy Initiative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SEIU African American Caucus will work to defeat this initiative; and

THERFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the SEIU African American Caucus calls upon SEIU and its Officers to help, by any means necessary, to defeat the Racial Privacy Initiative.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO DEVELOP UNITY BETWEEN CAUCUSES

WHEREAS, the National African American Caucus (NAAC) is the largest and most developed National caucus within SEIU, and

WHEREAS, other SEIU caucuses are in the process of developing national structures,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the National African American Caucus will call for a meeting of all principal officers of SEIU caucuses for the purpose of developing organizational unity between caucuses.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

  RESOLUTION TO THANK LOCAL UNIONS WHO MADE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AFRAM 2003 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

WHEREAS, the attendees of this 2003 National African American Caucus (AFRAM) SEIU Leadership Development Conference, in Miami, Florida, do hereby collectively express our appreciation to Local Unions who made financial contributions in support of our 2003 Leadership Development Conference;

BE IT RESOLVED, that the National African American Caucus thank the Local Unions who made financial contributions in support of our 2003 Leadership Development Conference.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CAUCUS (AFRAM) OFFICERS FOR THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS THE 2003 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

WHEREAS, attendees of this 2003 National African American Caucus (AFRAM) SEIU Leadership Development Conference, in Miami, Florida, do hereby collectively express our appreciation to our National Officers for their efforts in making this 2003 Leadership Development Conference a smashing success.

BE IT RESOLVED, that the attendees of this 2003 National African American Caucus (AFRAM) SEIU Leadership Development Conference, in Miami, Florida, do hereby collectively express our appreciation to our National Officers for their efforts in making this 2003 Leadership Development Conference a smashing success.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at the National African American Caucus of SEIU 2003 Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2003.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO NATIONAL AFRAM PRESIDENT MARCHEL SMILEY FOR HIS EFFORTS IN MAKING THIS 2003 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS .

WHEREAS, the attendees of this 2003 National African American Caucus (AFRAM) SEIU Leadership Development Conference, in Miami, Florida, do hereby collectively express our appreciation to National President Marchel Smiley for his efforts in making this 2003 Leadership Development Conference an outstanding success.

BE IT RESOLVED, that the attendees of this 2003 National African American Caucus (AFRAM) SEIU Leadership Development Conference, in Miami, Florida, do hereby collectively express our appreciation to our National President Marchel Smiley for his efforts in making this 2003 Leadership Development Conference an outstanding success.