PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Same-sex benefits demonstration at U. of Pitt
by Toni Bartone Sunday, Sep. 01, 2002 at 1:39 PM

Students demonstrated for seme-sex partner benefits for University of Pittsburgh employees at the school's graduation.

Eleven members of University of Pittsburgh group Students in Solidarity (SIS) alerted commencement guests to the university�€™s discrimination practices on April 28.

On the sidewalk outside Mellon Civic Arena, students passed out between 2,000 and 3,000 leaflets that at first appeared to be commencement programs, but were actually leaflets explaining the seven- year long lawsuit brought against the university. Pitt is being sued by several individuals for failing to provide health- benefits to all gay and lesbian partners of its employees.

The leaflets also encouraged graduation attendees and alumni not to make donations to Pitt and to contact Pitt�€™s alumni association to express opposition to the university�€™s refusal of full benefits to homosexual employees, SIS member Kate Giammarise said.

This literature distribution was not without police confrontation, as a Mellon Arena security guard told students that the sidewalk in front of the arena was private property and that they would have to go across the street to pass out literature. The guard said that the students were allowed to protest in front of the arena, but only without literature.

Sean Rowley, a member of SIS�€™s same- sex benefits committee, informed the guard and later the guard�€™s superior that he had consulted the ACLU on the rules regarding distribution of literature in public places and that students were legally allowed to leaflet in front of the arena. After some persistence, students were finally able to leaflet unimpeded.

SIS, Student Government Board (SGB) and Rainbow Alliance (RA) have taken action on this issue since a recently formed university committee reviewing the same �€“ sex health benefits case neglected to release a report of its progress during December 2001. This committee has still not yet released a report. SIS and RA have held actions throughout last fall and spring semesters, including a "Justice for Pitt Workers" rally on April 4 in conjunction with SIS�€™s living wage committee, and have distributed literature on the issue. SGB passed a resolution in March 2002 demanding that the committee release a report of progress.

"If you give your money to Pitt, you�€™re giving money towards overturning the city�€™s civil rights ordinance," Rowley said.

According to Rowley, Pitt already provides library cards, bereavement time, tuition reimbursement and athletic facility use to employees�€™ domestic partners and their families, but does not provide health care.

"Benefits comprise 40% of workers�€™ compensation, but are a small cost to the institution," said SIS member John Lacny.

Rowley also pointed out that same- sex health benefits would only raise the costs Pitt already pays out to employees less than one half of a percent. He said that employees, including faculty members, have left Pitt as a result of the scant benefits, benefits that are provided by Ivy League schools and other Pittsburgh colleges including Carnegie Mellon
University and Chatham College.

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