Brad Spencer, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Melwood, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss why it is important for all individuals to feel valued and worthy in the workplace and how Melwood is helping those with disabilities experience those feelings on the job.
Prior to 2001, Spencer spent 20 years as a union-side labor lawyer. He represented the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, LIUNA’s federal health plan, The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union. His life changed when he suffered a stroke on Sept. 11, 2001, which robbed him of his short-term memory. He shared how the stroke left him questioning his value and worth before finding Melwood and regaining his dignity.
Melwood is a non-profit social enterprise that operates in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia region. They are a preferred employer, provider and advocate of people with disabilities. Melwood directly employs 1,600 people, including 1,000 with significant disabilities. Spencer said that in many cases, Melwood may be someone’s first job or first job in a long time. Melwood assists roughly one in four Americans who have a disability in overcoming the barriers of traditional employment in order to prevent a cycle of poverty and homelessness.
The Americans with Disability Act provides disabled workers with certain rights in the workplace, which places most obligations on employers when it comes to employing disabled individuals. Spencer explained that Melwood, which is led by individuals who have been part of the labor movement, took a different path. He stated that by partnering with unions, Melwood has placed its employees into a career with benefits and pay that can give a person with disabilities a sense of worth and value. Spencer said that many of Melwood’s employees negotiate and uphold contracts for their able-bodied union Brothers and Sisters.
Listen to the show above to hear more about Spencer’s career and how Melwood assists individuals with disabilities in finding a career by joining a union.