Just added to Spring 2019 CUE Conference, Keynote Speaker and Post-Conference Workshop #CUE2019

Keynote Speaker for CUE Spring 2019: Dee Ann Turner #CUE2019

We’ve received requests to have someone from Chik-fil-A as a speaker at a CUE event to discuss how they have built such a successful culture. I’m pleased to announce that we have just added the woman who literally wrote the book on Chik-fil-A culture.   Dee Ann Turner is the author of It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture.  She will be our opening keynote on Monday morning, May 6th in Atlanta.   You can learn more about the conference here.

Dee Ann Turner is the former Vice President, Sustainability for Chick-fil-A, Inc. She began her career with the organization more than 30 years ago and has spent the majority of her career developing and leading Corporate Talent. She played an intricate role in growing Chick-fil-A’s unique and highly regarded culture while overseeing the recruitment, selection, and retention of corporate staff and the recruitment and selection of Chick-fil-A Franchisees.

Dee Ann’s insightful knowledge and applicable tools for building an incredible and influential company culture are revealed in her book, It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and A Compelling Culture.

Dee Ann attended Cincinnati Christian University in Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in Journalism and Christian Education. She later completed her education at Clayton State University in Atlanta with a degree in Management. She received further certifications at Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill, and she completed the prestigious Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Be sure to check out the list of conference topics below, and the fantastic post-conference offering How to Build a UnionProof Digital Culture for your Company (Even if you aren’t a Social Media Wizard).

Post-Conference Workshop

How to Build a UnionProof Digital Culture for your Company

(Even if you aren’t a Social Media Wizard)

2.5 Hour Mastery-Level Workshop

CUE members, be sure to register by January 18th to get the lowest early bird rate at $875.00.

Harassment in the Headlines

SEIU Harassment Scandal Causes Shakeup In Leadership  

Several leaders in the Fight for $15 effort led by SEIU were removed from their positions after allegations of harassment were brought forth by female staffers. According to Labor Pains and Buzzfeed, Executive Vice President Scott Courtney, who had led the union’s Fight for $15 minimum wage campaign, recently resigned from his post. The union had to fire the leader of its Fight for $15 campaign in Illinois, Caleb Jennings, as part of an investigation into misconduct and abusive behavior. Jennings allegedly grew violent toward his employees, and even reportedly shoved a female subordinate against a door frame. The SEIU also placed Mark Raleigh, the Detroit campaign’s top official, on administrative leave for similar reasons.

It’s not just an SEIU problem. Some union leaders say sexual harassment is a widespread problem within organized labor, just as it is in the rest of the workforce.

“Every woman that I know, whether they’re in management or punch the clock, has faced it,” including those working for unions, said Lori Pelletier, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO and former leader of the organization’s national LGBT group. “If it is a co-worker or a union brother or a union sister, it’s hard. You somehow feel the betrayal of trust.”

It’s been ten months since Mickey Kasparian, President of United Foodservice and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135 was named in a complaint charging him with gender discrimination and retaliation by former union employee Sandy Naranjo.

A few days later, retired union employee Isabel Vasquez filed a complaint alleging approximately 13 years of quid pro quo sexual harassment. Anabel Arauz, another union employee, went through several months of harassment and was eventually fired for speaking out in support of Vasquez.

Some unions are talking about harassment and how they can help employees who face these problems in the workplace when their employers won’t. “There is stuff going on in restaurants that people are afraid to talk about” regarding employers, managers, and co-workers, says Nicole Battle, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild. “Some women are concerned that if they come forward and speak out, they will be blacklisted and they won’t get a job.” Restaurant worker advocacy group Restaurant Opportunities Center United has reported that over 30 percent of sexual harassment complaints filed with the EEOC come from the restaurant industry.

It’s clear that one pillar of your positive employee relations program has got to be a robust strategy for preventing and correcting any form of harassment in the workplace.

Doing the Right Thing

A number of labor and activists groups including United Students Against Sweatshops are planning on carrying out a Global Day of Action Against Nike tomorrow.  There is a social media hashtag #JustDoTheRightThing, and planned actions in more than 25 cities across five continents.

Mass fainting. Wage theft. Padlocked exits. Over the last two years, there have been a stream of violations at Nike factories around the world. Since the ’90s, the world’s largest sportswear brand has done a lot to clean up its supply chain, but the problems haven’t gone away entirely. This Saturday, activists around the country will be protesting in front of Nike stores to show their solidarity with exploited workers.

Fast Company has a timely article out today discussing some of the plans and why students are still pressing Nike on supply chain labor standards.  It’s worth a 5 minute read