Progressive Oasis

OMAHA, NE – With momentum gaining for workplace equality in Omaha after the passage of a resolution for workplace discrimination, Equal Omaha Kicks Omaha’s Equal Employment movement into high gear.  There are several events scheduled before Ben Gray’s ordinance receives an actual vote on Tuesday, March 13th. Those events include a petition drive, email drive, and a rally on the Memorial Pedestrian Bridge to name a few.

The WorkPlace Discrimination Resolution was a joint effort by Gernandt, Mulligan and Stothert to derail Ben Gray’s upcoming Equal Employment ordinance. Jean Stothert is even on record for telling people there is no Equal Employment ordinance by Ben Gray. As you already know, she’s lying. Just remember Jean Stothert Wants To Be Positive.  The Workplace Discrimination Resolution is basically a motion saying the City Council will work with all businesses to prevent all people from being discriminated against. Big deal right?  Not really. The resolution is nonbinding, as Stothert stressed in the City Council session.  That means if any LGBT related discrimination was reported, there is nothing in place to ensure the City Council does anything about it.  What is special about this resolution is that Omaha LGBT Groups supported it, saying even though it doesn’t do enough to stop discrimination, it does acknowledge that Omaha has a discrimination problem. And that is a big step. All the more reason to adopt Ben Gray’s Equal Employment ordinance when it comes up in a couple of weeks.

So the City Council adopts Stothert’s nonbinding resolution that acknowledges workplace discrimination is a problem in Omaha. I wonder how Stothert’s conservative voting base feels about that acknowledgement?  The look on Jean Stothert’s face when LGBT groups stood up in support of it was priceless. And adoption of the Resolution puts the LGBT community one step closer to workplace equality.

Equal Omaha is sponsoring a number of events in support the of the Equal Employment Ordinance, including a Rally for WorkPlace Equality, which will take place at 11am Saturday March 3rd, 2012, be sure to check out the FaceBook Event page for updates!  There is also an ongoing email campaign as well, go to the Equal Omaha website for those details and you may visit this article for ideas and templates for those emails you may wish to send.   And also be sure to sign Equal Omaha’s petition to the Omaha City Council as well, here is the link:  http://www.change.org/petitions/share-your-voice

The UNO College Democrats are sponsoring a Card Signing Drive at the Milo Bail Student Center on the UNO Campus on 22 Feb 2012 from 10am to 2pm. The cards will be hand delivered to the City Council  and will be another way for you to get your  voice and your opinion out there to urge the Omaha City Council to do the right thing.