Solidarity with BERG — Point of Action #10: Create a D&I Committee Made Up of Majority Black and Non-Black POC Employees
To the BERG: Our union sees, recognizes and values the incredible leadership and perseverance of our Black colleagues at OHSU. We stand in solidarity with the BERG. AFSCME Local 328 has been reflecting as a union, and we recognize our ability to do much better.
As stated in our December 2020 letter to the OHSU Black Employee Resource Group, AFSCME Local 328 has committed to stand and bear witness to the BERG’s letter sent to OHSU leadership and the board of directors on August 31, 2020, which called out concerns around OHSU’s racist practices, particularly those impacting Black employees. This month we address the 10th of the BERG’s 14 Points of Action, which is to:
Create a diversity & inclusion committee made up of majority Black and non-Black POC employees at all levels of the organization and of all represented groups, and operations to help shape D&I policy and monitor its progress.
OHSU’s response stated that that “the anti-racism task force has been established and we encourage Black and NBPOC employees to participate.” What is an anti-racism task force? According to Merriam-Webster, a task force is “a temporary grouping under one leader for the purpose of accomplishing a definite objective.” AFSCME Local 328 would like to know why a task force was established instead of a committee. Merriam-Webster defines a committee as “a body of persons delegated to consider, investigate, take action on, or report on some matter.”
Based on the definition of a task force, one would presume that the task the group has gathered to work on will reach a resolution, while a committee understands that the matter requires ongoing conversation and work. Racism is not a problem that is going away quickly or easily. It is deeply embedded in our country and rooted in the fiber of every institution, thus requiring a conscientious 24/7 effort to combat it.
The problem of racism at OHSU has not been resolved, so we have to ask: When was this anti-racism task force established? How does one join? Was there an OHSU Now post inviting Black or non-Black persons of color to the table? Or was there a different call for participants that made it clear that they could join the anti-racism task force? Where are the task force’s minutes and reports made available for OHSU members to review?
In its response to BERG’s 10th point of action, OHSU added that its Diversity Advisory Council would be reengaging to focus on policies. We are curious about how the work of the DAC is reported out. Other than members of the DAC reporting back to their constituents directly, is the greater OHSU community being made aware of the work that the DAC is doing? Is there a reason that this group’s work is not regularly shared on OHSU Now?
We have also noticed that the Equity and Inclusion category on OHSU Now is optional, rather than assigned like the Operations and Employee Essentials categories are. We challenge OHSU to make D&I news and information an assigned category on OHSU Now. If OHSU leadership wants all OHSU members to be accountable for making OHSU an anti-racist institution, then the Equity and Inclusion category should be assigned, not optional. (In the meantime, you may subscribe to the Equity and Inclusion category on OHSU Now by clicking “Manage Subscriptions” at the bottom of the list of categories on the left side of the page, scrolling down until you find Equity and Inclusion and clicking “Subscribe.”)
AFSCME Local 328 continues to hold the entire OHSU community accountable (including but not limited to members of our bargaining unit, OHSU leadership, students and researchers) to do their part — individually and collectively — in remaking OHSU into an anti-racist institution. In order for this to happen, we must all be accountable and demonstrate transparency. As such, we stand with the BERG and their call for OHSU to create a D&I made up of majority Black and non-Black people of color employees.