You read that right.
And Pittsburgh civil rights leaders are angry. That’s why they’re taking action against what Vic Walczak of the ACLU has called UPMC’s attempt to nuke our country’s equal opportunity regulations.

Take Action – Sign The Petition And Tell UPMC: Hands Off Equal Opportunity

As a federal contractor, UPMC is required to abide by …. But UPMC doesn’t want to. And so they have sued in federal court to invalidate … not just for themselves, but for ALL employers in every state. If they succeed? Forty years of settled regulations protecting women and people of color?  Gone. Done and dusted.

“This important anti-discrimination protection, in effect since Lyndon Johnson’s executive order in 1965, has helped reduce discrimination in programs nationwide, but one field that still needs major improvement is healthcare,” said Vic Walczak, Legal Director, ACLU of Pennsylvania. “UPMC’s refusal to comply with the reporting requirements is bad enough, but their effort to nuke out of existence this important and long-standing anti-discrimination protection makes them civil rights enemies.”
“People fought long and hard for these protections that UPMC is threatening,” said Susan Frietsche for the Women’s Law Project. “Equal employment law ensures fairness in the workplace. If this legal challenge is successful it could hurt thousands of working families in Pittsburgh and across the country.”
We’re calling on UPMC to withdraw this radical and ill-advised suit. It’s time for UPMC to stop dodging responsibility for its actions. As our state’s largest employer, UPMC should be supporting, not fighting, its employees’ rights—rights to a fair workplace and rights to come together to improve jobs.

Sign the petition, and tell UPMC: Hands Off Equal Opportunity!

You’ll be joining civil rights leaders like:
Rep. Jake Wheatley
19th District, Allegheny
Rep. Erin Molchaney
22nd District, Allegheny
Pittsburgh City Council:
Bruce Kraus, President
Daniel Lavelle
Darlene Harris
Natalia Rudiak
Deb Gross
Dan Gilman
Corey O’Conner
Allegheny County Council:
Amanda Green-Hawkins
Faith Leaders:
Reverend Glenn Grayson
Wesley center AME Zion Church
Reverend Rodney Lyde
Baptist Temple Church
Reverend Eric McIntosh
St. James Episcopal Church
Community Groups:
NAACP Pittsburgh Branch
Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network
Service Employees International Union
ACLU-PA Greater Pittsburgh Chapter
Women’s Law Project
Pennsylvania NOW
First Pittsburgh NOW Chapter
East End Pittsburgh NOW Chapter
Squirrel Hill NOW Chapter
People for the American Way-PA
National Council of Jewish Women-PA
Black Law Student Association
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Jasiri X