WorkersOut! Mardi Gras float
WorkersOut! is a collective of unions and union members who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) working together to raise the profile and importance of union membership across the LGBTI community.
Workers Out! has been active around a number of campaigns and has been particularly proactive in coordinating community roundtables, education sessions and street stalls for the Your Rights at Work campaign.
Research has shown that more than 53% of LGTBI workers surveyed in 2004 had faced harassment and discrimination in their workplace. British research recently published found that 49% are too scared to come out at work.
For the last 10 years a variety of union members and unions have participated in the Mardi Gras parade bringing a level of attention to the union movement across a broad spectrum of the community.
This year is our year, never before have we had such a reason to be the biggest and brightest float possible. We need to take the message of the workers united will defeat Howard. Our float is focused on the Your Rights at Work theme.
However, we need help to do it. We have a strong active committee of workers from more than eight unions working with others to build a float and organise a team of marchers and dancers. We expect more than 150 workers from throughout Australia to take part.
We would like you to do a couple of things. The first and most important is to strongly encourage your members and union staff to get involved on the night. They can dance, join us on the night, help us build our float or make costumes. They don’t have to be of a particularly sexuality – just supportive and respectful of our aims.
We also need money. We estimate it will cost at least $8,000 to build the float, make costumes and hire sound, lighting and equipment. We have raised $1,500 already and any amount would be much appreciated.
Cheques can be made out to: Workers
Out
Attention Alison Peters,
Level 2, Trades Hall,
4 Goulburn Street Sydney 2000.
If you would like more information please don’t hesitate to call me on 02 9290 4508 or email bkeeffe@spsf.asn.au
In solidarity,
Bernadette Keeffe
National CPSU-SPSF Campaigns and Media Officer