7/30 Weekly Email + Disability Pride

Hi all, 

Member Recruitment Drive: As a final reminder, UAEA is running a Member Recruitment Drive from June 1st through August 1st of this year (Saturday). Every current member who refers a new member and every new member who signs up will receive $25 giftcards. New members and members who recommended new members will also be entered into a giftcard drawing at the end of this promotion - the more people who sign up, the more giftcards will be drawn. A full list of the promotion rules can be found here

Employee Survey: As a final reminder, the Tempe Employee Survey is still open from now until August 1st. I’ve mentioned this in a few emails in the past month but wanted to offer a couple of final pushes and some additional perspectives on why everyone should take it.

Besides winning some prizes for yourself or your workgroup, there’s a pretty important incentive for sharing your thoughts in the survey - the data collected gives UAEA a solid foundation for addressing workgroup or city concerns over the next 2 years. It's one thing for us to share with a department that 3 members have come to us with concerns, it is another thing if we are able to point to a survey where 50% of department staff expressed concerns about a similar issue. Even if you have positive or neutral feedback about a department, that can still be helpful, as it helps us understand where we need to spend more time and energy over the next few years. I want to reiterate that recent surveys have led to direct changes in the City - the Employee Forum with our City Manager, the upcoming Employee Recognition Program, and many Segal changes came as a result of feedback from employees in the past 4 years. 

You can find and take the survey here. 

Heat Stress: Risk Management has sent out several emails in the last few weeks about extreme heat. I’ve attached a copy of one of the most recent as well as the Tempe Heat Stress standards, and would encourage everyone to read them. The principles apply to all employees who work outdoors but have applicability to employees who spend occasional time outdoors as well. The mechanisms to manage heat stress also apply if you’re doing personal tasks like home yardwork or maintenance - please make sure you understand both the possible health risks and the proper means of addressing heat exposure. 

Podcast and Communication Survey Updates: We did not get a lot of responses to our podcast or communication survey, but I wanted to share the general results. As a reminder, surveys are an opportunity for members to express their interest, disinterest, or lack of opinion on certain topics, and are very useful as the UAEA board considers new programs or initiatives. Both surveys are still open if members wanted to weigh in. 

The podcast survey had 12 respondents. 50% were interested in listening to a UAEA podcast and an additional 17% said they would need more information. 75% of respondents would be interested in podcasts that summarized city benefits and UAEA business on a monthly basis. 75% said they would be less likely to listen if the podcast used any AI voices. Finally, 42% of respondents said they used Apple Podcasts and Youtube Music, 25% said they used Spotify, and 25% said they currently use no podcast or streaming platforms. 

The communication survey had 10 respondents. 80% were interested in a private messaging space for UAEA members to communicate and 80% stated they have a smart phone and personal computer. Most people do not use Signal or WhatsApp but 50% of respondents were at least aware of the platforms. Members were mainly interested in talking about general UAEA business (75%), Job Opportunities (50%), and a Buy/Sell/Trade platform (50%). We only had a few comments, which indicated a desire to stay on top of monthly UAEA business and a desire for clear moderation and communication standards. 

Disability Pride Month: July is Disability Pride Month and I wanted to give it a brief shout out before the month formally ended. There are not a lot of union activists directly known for disabilities (more on that in a second) but disabilities have a direct connection to union organizing and fair working conditions - as such, I feel the need to provide a little disability education and talk about what UAEA can do to ensure fair treatment in the workplace and the work that we do. 

Per the CDC, disability is “the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society.” This can include but is not limited to things like physical, mental, or sensory disabilities. In addition, many disabilities are “invisible,” meaning that they are not immediately apparent to an observer - these can include things like chronic illnesses, ADHD, and hearing loss. While some people are born with disabilities, everyone will inevitably experience disabilities like hearing and vision loss with age. In addition, many people will eventually need to become part or full time caregivers to disabled family members like aging parents. In the present (again per the CDC), 1 in 4 US Adults (70 million people) have a disability and almost 1 in 4 US Adults (63 million people) currently care for a family member with a disability or serious illness. While there is some overlap between the two groups, this illustrates that disability justice is not a niche need - changes that build an inclusive society have immediate impacts for nearly half the population, and will have long-term positive impacts for everyone. 

Despite disabilities being quite common, our culture still has stigmas related to disabled individuals, especially related to their physical or cognitive capabilities. These stigmas intersect and overlap with stigmas about older individual’s capabilities - disability and age discrimination are thus closely related. This is also one of the reasons we do not have a lot of information about union organizers with disabilities - it is likely many of them felt a need to not speak publicly about disabilities for fear it might impact their work or ability to lead. These stigmas are also almost always wrong, both due to cultural and social misunderstandings about people’s disabilities and capabilities, but also due to the fact that many disabled individuals use mitigating measures or accommodations. Our culture doesn’t always think of these as accommodations, but things like back braces, large print font on phones, glasses, or hearing aids are all things which can assist people with disabilities. Some disabled people may also cover up their disability by either working through pain (if they have a physical job) or working through mental discomfort (if they have a mental or sensory disability), but these solutions may not work out long term due to the added stress this places on them (in addition to the normal stresses of a workplace). If you’re interested, these links cover some basic misconceptions about disabilities. 

I bring all of this up for two reasons. First, Tempe serves a diverse community and it's always worth thinking about ways we can further accommodate or enhance the services we offer the public. Many departments already have procedures for accommodating disabled customers and residents, but it’s worth taking a look every so often to ensure that our new offerings and programs can accommodate everyone’s needs. The ways we offer programs (in-person, non-recorded, presented without a microphone) can all hinder people's access or understanding - if you’d like a quick overview of some ways that public programs can be made more accessible and equitable, check out these links. Second, I also think it’s important that we build workplaces that are welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities. I’ve spoken before about the importance of solidarity with marginalized groups - as a reminder, if employers can openly discriminate against any one group, that makes it easier for them to discriminate against other groups. In addition, workplace accommodations for disability are usually benign or actively beneficial to everyone - accommodations may include providing seat cushions for people with back injuries, recording meetings so that people with audio-processing disorders can refer back to them at a later date, or adding additional tools like lift belts and knee pads to help people perform physical tasks without strains or pain. Those things can benefit all employees, not just those with disabilities - as such, the fight for equality is also a fight for worker’s protections.

If you have a disability or otherwise believe you need an accommodation to do your work, feel free to reach out to UAEA - you can also request accommodations on your own by following this Tempe process. If you have concerns about the way your workplace accommodates either your fellow employees or the Tempe residents that we serve, Tempe's Diversity Office may be able to provide some guidance. Finally, if you believe you are being mistreated due to a disability, please reach out to UAEA (and reference our guide to documenting workplace concerns). You deserve fair treatment and are entitled to certain legal protections.

If you’re interested in learning more or want to help Tempe become more inclusive, Tempe has an employee affinity group, ACE, that focuses on disability support, education, and inclusion. They meet quarterly and their next meeting is scheduled for September 6th - you can learn more by reaching out to Jess Jupitus (Jessica_Jupitus@tempe.gov) or Monique Perry (Monique_Perry@tempe.gov). 

Events Survey: UAEA would like to look into doing more events on a consistent basis (budget and resources permitting) but would appreciate some feedback on what people are interested in. If you would like to provide feedback on this, please feel free to fill out this Events Survey where you can indicate your preferences and provide feedback on possible week days, times, and event types. 

Photography Contest: UAEA is running a photography contest between now and August 27th. If you need some quick tips on how to take nice photos with your camera, check out these links. If you’re interested, a full list of rules can also be found here. Members can submit entries at this link from now until the deadline. Winners will be announced in our 4th Quarter Newsletter. 

August Member Meeting: Our next Member Meeting will be on August 20th, 2026, from 5-6PM at the Apache PD Substation at 1855 E Apache Boulevard, Tempe AZ 85281. Non-PD personnel can park in the visitor parking lot east of the building, then enter through the main lobby. We will be in the conference room to the right of the main entrance. Members can rsvp to attend between now and August 13th, 2026. 

Free/Discounted Summer Activities: If you’re looking for free or discounted things to do with friends or family this summer, this webpage has a list of activities in and around Phoenix. 

Besides free days at certain museums, don’t forget about the Culture Passes offered by Maricopa County libraries. These offer free entry for up to 2 people at places like the Desert Botanical Garden, the Arizona Heritage Center, Reid Park Zoo, and the Phoenix Art Museum. Passes are first-come, first-served, for library patrons, but I just learned that their websites can tell you which are available at every branch. 

Community Resources: UAEA is aware of rising fuel prices and how this is impacting members. We are having some internal city discussions about possible workplace changes, but also wanted to post some resources for members who may be struggling to make ends meet. This is a similar list to what we posted in November with a few new additions. Please feel to reach out if you have additional recommendations about local resources. 

AZ Food Bank Network: This link contains information about dozens of food banks and assistance sites across Arizona. You can search by the directory and the zipcodes they provide services for to find food banks in your areas. 

AZ Medical and Nutrition Assistance: This is an Arizona-State run program that can help connect people with Arizona State programs that provide assistance for people who need medical coverage, WIC support, or additional access to nutrition. I do not know all that the program entails. 

Maricopa County Utility Support: This is a Maricopa County program that can help people receive assistance paying for utilities. Some cities have unique offerings while others are covered under one umbrella program. 

AZ 211: This is a Arizona-State run help line that can help people connect with a variety of resources and support they may be unaware of in their area. 

Tempe Employee Relief Fund: This is a Tempe-run program (paid for by employee donations) that can provide support of up to $1,200 to assist Tempe employees with unplanned emergency bills (housing, mortgage, utilities, etc). 

Employee Assistance Program: If you have insurance through the City of Tempe, you can take advantage of the EAP, a group of resources which can provide free therapy, legal consultations, or classes on stress management. 

Cheap Recipe Guides: These are two free cookbooks designed for cooking high-nutrition and easy meals on a budget. Even if you’re not a fan of the recipes, there are some good tips on stocking a kitchen with affordable and long-lasting staples. 

Free Transit Pass: This contains information on how to obtain your free bus, streetcar, and lightrail pass as a Tempe employee. 

Sun Bucks: This program offers direct payments in the summer to families whose children receive free or reduced cost school lunches

Discount Grocery Stores: This link provides a few examples of discount/salvage grocery stores around Phoenix that resell food that supermarket chains don’t want (everything is still good, usually stores get rid of items that are out of season or past their best-by date, even if still viable). 

Thanks for a great week, everyone!