BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT FACT SHEET


	BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT *FACT SHEET*

	*HISTORY* BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG), was conceived in 1975 by Black Federal employees of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Parklawn Building, Rockville, Maryland. The organization was incorporated as a nonprofit organization under the District of Columbia jurisdiction in 1976. Today, there are over 225 Chapters throughout our eleven regions. BIG members are diverse in their backgrounds, interests and occupations. They are executives, managers, supervisors, administrative assistants, council members, state legislators, as well as many rank and file government workers.

	OBJECTIVES BIG functions as an employee support group, an advocacy group and a resource group for Black civil servants. It’s stated goals are: To be an advocate of equal opportunity for Blacks in government; To eliminate practices of racism against Blacks in government; To promote professionalism among Blacks in government; To enhance the promotion of ethnic pride and socio-economic, civic and cultural programs and comradeship through organizes business meetings and regular social gatherings which will serve to find us together; To establish a mechanism for the compilations, synthesis, dissemination and coordination of information for Blacks in government, thereby continually upgrading communications among Black employee across government with the objective of attaining strength through mutual knowledge; To provide a nonpartisan platform on major issues of local and national significance so that our members may better know and express their individual minds on matters which may affect them; and To expand the concept and objectives of Blacks in government to jurisdictions throughout the United States, its regions and other subdivisions to provide maximum impact of the benefits derived from the pursuit of these goals and objectives.

	*ACTIVITIES* BIG Chapters serve as the operating arms of the organization, carrying out a variety of programs to meet local needs and conditions, under the general objectives and goals of the organization. The individual member is served primarily through the chapter, and the Chapter is supported by the Regional and National network which undergirds its programs and activities. In general, there are no restrictions on the activities of Chapters so long as they do not infringe upon the organization’s status as a nonprofit, nonpartisan group. At the Regional level, activities have reflected the diversity of Chapter activity. Most Regions sponsor Regional Training Conferences, which serve as a bridge between the National Training Conference and the training needs of local Chapters. Nationally, BIG attempts to represent the interests of Black government workers in the Congress, at the White House, with the National media, and through coalitions with other national organizations. BIG has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on employment opportunities and expressed our conscience and convictions concerning the need for affirmative action to close the under representation gap in various job classifications. BIG has met at the White House with Department Heads and White House Officials, to protest the disproportionate impact of the RIF in government agencies on Black employment, and present positions on equal employment opportunity, performance appraisals, and employee rights and protections. BIG promotes Voters’ Education and Registration. BIG is an active participant in "Operation Big Vote," a nationwide campaign to educate Blacks and other citizens of their rights and responsibilities in the national, state and local electoral process. BIG has produced an employee development kit. The kit, entitled "WINNING WAYS," is designed to help employees protect themselves against discriminatory action in the workplace. The materials include fact sheets and audio tapes on such topics as "Coping with Discrimination in the Workplace," "Class Action as a Tool for Change," "Making Your Appraisal Work For You," and "Getting That Promotion." The Kit is being used in a nationwide campaign to increase the level of knowledge government employees have about the rules affecting their work environment. It reminds employees that the achievement of individual excellence may require them to work not just harder, but smarter. Working smart means being able to influence the work environment rather than being victimized by it. BIG is calling for the transfer of the discrimination complaints processing function from the Federal agencies to a separate, independent agency. It cites a recent study which indicates that complaints are hopelessly backlogged in Federal agencies and that there is an inherent conflict-of-interest in having Federal managers process complaints against their own agencies. The study indicated that most Federal agencies are giving the complaints processing function "low priority" and "insufficient funding and resources." BIG maintains that effective equal opportunity enforcement means, a workable complaints processing system that decides cases in a timely and equitable fashion. BIG Chapters serve as the operating arms of the organization, carrying out a variety of programs to meet local needs and conditions, under the general objectives and goals of the organization. The individual member is served primarily through the chapter, and the Chapter is supported by the Regional and National network which undergirds its programs and activities. In general, there are no restrictions on the activities of Chapters so long as they do not infringe upon the organization’s status as a nonprofit, nonpartisan group. At the Regional level, activities have reflected the diversity of Chapter activity. Most Regions sponsor Regional Training Conferences, which serve as a bridge between the National Training Conference and the training needs of local Chapters. Nationally, BIG attempts to represent the interests of Black government workers in the Congress, at the White House, with the National media, and through coalitions with other national organizations. BIG has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on employment opportunities and expressed our conscience and convictions concerning the need for affirmative action to close the under representation gap in various job classifications. BIG has met at the White House with Department Heads and White House Officials, to protest the disproportionate impact of the RIF in government agencies on Black employment, and present positions on equal employment opportunity, performance appraisals, and employee rights and protections. BIG promotes Voters’ Education and Registration. BIG is an active participant in "Operation Big Vote," a nationwide campaign to educate Blacks and other citizens of their rights and responsibilities in the national, state and local electoral process. BIG has produced an employee development kit. The kit, entitled "WINNING WAYS," is designed to help employees protect themselves against discriminatory action in the workplace. The materials include fact sheets and audio tapes on such topics as "Coping with Discrimination in the Workplace," "Class Action as a Tool for Change," "Making Your Appraisal Work For You," and "Getting That Promotion." The Kit is being used in a nationwide campaign to increase the level of knowledge government employees have about the rules affecting their work environment. It reminds employees that the achievement of individual excellence may require them to work not just harder, but smarter. Working smart means being able to influence the work environment rather than being victimized by it. BIG is calling for the transfer of the discrimination complaints processing function from the Federal agencies to a separate, independent agency. It cites a recent study which indicates that complaints are hopelessly backlogged in Federal agencies and that there is an inherent conflict-of-interest in having Federal managers process complaints against their own agencies. The study indicated that most Federal agencies are giving the complaints processing function "low priority" and "insufficient funding and resources." BIG maintains that effective equal opportunity enforcement means, a workable complaints processing system that decides cases in a timely and equitable fashion.
	For the latest information about BIG activities, go to WWW.BIGNET.ORG