Women's Issues Committee Minutes
5:15 PM Teleconference
Wednesday 9-28-05

Present: Teresa, Gordon, Laura, Nadine, Toya, Suzan
Absent: Jade, Barbara

Are we a quorum with 4 of 6?  Gordon says yes.
5:24 PM Call to order.

August 2005 minutes were received.  Toya had corrections.  Approved minutes as amended.

Budget Review: Toya discussed this.
A number of member's put in their names for attendance to the NW Women's Conference so WIC will probably need to pay our own way vs the chapter paying.
The deadline for registration has been moved to October 10th.  Laura and Toya have already put in their registration and paperwork.  Nadine will attend the pre-conference.

"Pink Link" copyrights: Suzan discussed this.
Lots of "pink link" out there.  Mary Kay has one.  CorningWare has one.  Pink the rock star has "Pink"; and last but not least, "pinklink.org" is porn sites.

Northwest Women's Conference and Pre-Conference Institute
Jim Duncan joined our teleconference.  Said the reservations and hotel will be done soon; they're waiting to hear if we're attending the pre-conference before making the reservations.
Jim will email the updated budget balance after Toya and Laura's travel is done.

Convention Delegates
Discussed all should nominate ourselves.  Toya will call Laura tomorrow and help answer questions about being a delegate.

Anchorage constituent concerns
Discussed need for privacy screen to breastfeed/breastpump.  The member's Steward should work with her in the immediate department.  Can she use her supervisor's room which allows for privacy?  Do we want to approve the purchase?  Jim Duncan rejoined our teleconference.  We could put in a request for a privacy screen that she could borrow and return when she no longer needed it and we could loan it out again.  This may have a snowball effect as we couldn't really say no to a second member that requests one.  We need to look at what resolutions we want to put forward.  Union child care issue is being discussed within AFSCME.  Maybe we should look at it as one of our contract resolutions.  Jim offered that July 1, 2007 is when contract changes would happen.  We could press management prior to negotiations to address this.

Juneau Child Care
There was a letter to the editor saying how terrible child care is in Juneau.  The writer has a national organization on her bandwagon.  Kim Metcalfe is involved.  The writer wants downtown area childcare supported by the state.
Suzan offered that there is no state law for public buildings to provide a changing table or daycare.

Survey #2
We will change the focus to include childcare and breastfeeding.  Submit suggestions to Nadine for 2nd Survey, 3rd Version.  Nadine will put in the new questions and send to WIC secretary.

Solidarity Update
Jim offered that the electronic format is going out November 1, then hard copy to members before the Legislative Session begins.  Toya is writing the article.  The deadline is October 20.  It's preferred to submit it electronically.  Send it to the committee, then Jim, then Reber.  The topic may be breast cancer since October is awareness month.

New business
Fundraising Ideas.
Nadine hopes for good fundraising ideas from the convention.  Nadine can make items to sell.  Everyone needs to think about fundraising.  There are websites that have items to buy and then resell for fundraising.

Q:          Teresa asked if we are still doing a face to face?
A:          Nadine is in Anchorage for 2 days in October.  Otherwise a day before the convention works.
Toya offered not to wait until the day before.  Resolutions are due before the convention.

Adjourned
6:20 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Laura K Ghormley
WIC Secretary