2011 Approved Resolutions
The first two resolutions were approved at the August 20th Business Meeting. The third resolution was approved by the Board of Directors in early October.
Resolution 1: Expression of Gratitude
Resolution 2: Labor Rights in the Public Sector
RESOLUTION 1: Expression of Gratitude
Our sincere appreciation is expressed to all of the officers, committee chairs, and members who have made this program possible and whose efforts maintain the vitality of the SSSP. First, we thank President A. Javier Treviño for his outstanding leadership in developing the 61st Annual Meeting and its theme: Service Sociology. We also thank this year’s Program Committee: Chair: Karen McCormack and committee members Luis Fernandez, Holly Foster, Michelle Y. Janning, and Monica White; and Local Arrangements Committee Chair: Shannon Monnat. We thank the staff of Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel for fine accommodations and we particularly want to recognize the efforts made by Greg MacKenzie, Catering/Convention Services Manager and Cindy Norlander, Citywide Group Reservations Coordinator.
The Society wishes to express its gratitude to Past President JoAnn L. Miller for her years of leadership; Vice-President Carolyn C. Perrucci for managing the resolutions process; Glenn W. Muschert for his service as Secretary; and Susan M. Carlson for her service as Treasurer. The Society also thanks Wendy Simonds, President-Elect; Wendy Chapkis, Vice-President Elect; Board of Directors: Sarah Jane Brubaker, Barbara Katz Rothman, Claire M. Renzetti, Valerie Leiter, Nancy Mezey, outgoing members Carol Brooks Gardner, Raymond J. Michalowski; Louis Edgar Esparza (outgoing) and Mandy Frake-Mistak, student representatives of the Board; Stephani Williams, Chair of the Council of Special Problems Divisions; Ted Chiricos, outgoing Editor of Social Problems; Brent Teasdale, Editor of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter; Stephani Williams, outgoing Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Chair and committee members David L. Levinson, Patrick Donnelly, and Susan M. Carlson; Claire M. Renzetti, Editorial and Publications Committee Chair and committee members Benigno E. Aguirre, Marjorie L. DeVault, Lara Foley, David A. Smith, Suzanne Vaughan, Ted Chiricos, Brent Teasdale, Stephani Williams, and Amy S. Wharton; the University of Tennessee and the Department of Sociology for hosting the SSSP Administrative Office; the Provost’s Office at Wheaton College for its contribution to program activities and to the University of California Press for its financial contribution to the registration bags.
The Society wishes to thank Executive Officer Héctor L. Delgado, Administrative Officer & Meeting Manager Michele Smith Koontz, Administrative Assistant Kelley Flatford, and Graduate Research Associate & Webmaster Sarah Hendricks for continuing to make the organization run and do all that it does year in and year out. We especially want to thank Sarah for her exceptional service over the past four years.
RESOLUTION 2: Labor Rights in the Public Sector
WHEREAS Public employees in many contexts have already made financial sacrifices to work in the public sector and have already been negatively affected by cuts or threatened cuts in public funding.
WHEREAS Several state legislatures, in the name of closing these deficits, have moved to disenfranchise public employees by removing workers rights and restricting unionization; reduce and negate tenure for public teachers and college employees and professors; and overturn their collective bargaining rights; AND
WHEREAS polls indicate a majority of Americans oppose the weakening of public sector employees bargaining rights;
AND BE IT RESOLVED that the SSSP opposes restrictions on the rights of public employees at the local, state and federal level to collective bargaining and freedom of association and opposes legislation curbing collective bargaining for elementary, secondary and higher education institutions;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SSSP stands in solidarity with public workers, including university and public education employees in their right to collective bargaining and to a fair and reasonable bargaining process.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution with a cover letter be forwarded to the governors, legislative leaders, and organizations, including public-sector unions, in states where legislation threatening the collective-bargaining rights of workers is pending or is being challenged, and any other individual or body that the Executive Officer of the SSSP and the Division determine.
Resources:
Cooper, Michael and Megan Thee-Brenan. 2011. “Majority in Poll Back Public Sector Unions” New York Times February 28.
Cauchon, Dennis. 2011. “Poll Americans favor union bargaining rights.” USA TODAY February 23.
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-22-poll-public-unions-wisconsin_N.htm>
Greenhouse, Steve. 2011. “Strained States Turning to Laws to Curb Law Unions.” New York Times January 3.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/business/04labor.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1>
Brown, Kevin 2010. “Public Sector Unions.” Monthly Review May 20
American Rights at Work. 2011. “Partnerships in Education: How labor-management Collaboration is Transforming Public Schools.” (Education Fund Publication)
RESOLUTION 3: Sex Work
WHEREAS the criminalization of prostitution and other forms of sex work negotiated between consenting adults perpetuates violence and social stigma against sex workers, including by law enforcement, and prevents trafficked individuals from seeking medical care or protection from law enforcement and holding custody of their children; and represents one of the most direct forms of discrimination against women, trans individuals, and other gender minorities;
WHEREAS the criminalization of prostitution and other forms of sex work denies sex workers basic human and civil rights, including healthcare and housing, extended to workers in other trades, occupations, callings, or professions;
WHEREAS the decriminalization of prostitution would lead to safer working conditions and better health for both the worker and client, and allow workers to report nonconsensual activities to law enforcement without fear of being arrested;
WHEREAS the decriminalization of sex work would allow sex workers to enjoy their lives and livelihood without having to hide, and thereby seek and receive the same legal protections enjoyed by workers in other trades, work, occupations, or professions against crimes such as sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and rape;
AND BE IT RESOLVED that the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) supports occupational support and sexual self-determination for adults engaged in sex work;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that non-consenting adults and all trafficked children forced into sexual activity (commercial or otherwise) deserve the full protection of the law and perpetrators deserve the full punishment by the law;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SSSP supports international AIDS relief that allows access to reproductive health for sex workers and renounces anti-prostitution legislation such as the APLO, or Anti-Prostitution Loyalty Oath, which prevents U.S. aid from being allocated to health organizations that provide medical support for sex workers;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SSSP supports non-profit organizations that supply housing and other resources to trafficked individuals in the sex industry without mandatory, moralistic, ‘therapy’ or diversion programs;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SSSP supports: (1) bipartisan legislation to decriminalize prostitution (2) public education regarding the costs of policing sex workers and (3) normalization of the occupation.