The Omaha guide., 1941-09-27
A.F.ofL. Unions Blamed For 1ockino
Negroes In National Defense Work
by ALVIN E. WHITE

uuStIlSS 10 USlhS UlOCk6Q duu uaIE-
ed by reactionary unions affiliat-
ed with the American Federation
of Labor, which control the work
vital in many defense plants, ard
nc amount Of paper records" will
offset the actual records Of these
unions concerning Negro labor.
The Fair Employment Practic-
es committee recognizes this fact,
it is believed, and will set about
seeking some remedy if the unions
themselves do not clean house.
The chief offender along this
line is the American Federation Of
Labor which with its numerous
unions national in scope, refusing
by one device or another admis-
sion of Negroes into the organic
atom, scott at the Presidents exc
cutive order to industry and lit
orally thumb their noses at the
FEP.
Although the AFL has from
time to time gone on record in op-
en- convention as being opposed
to the discrimination practiced a.
gainst Negroes, nothing has been
done to remedy a situation which is
known to exist in tire national
unions.
As far back as 1884, it is re-
ported, A. Philip Randolph fought
on the floor of the convention to
have this black mark eradicated.
TIE convention as a whole voted to
"look into the matter" and auth
orized the president, William L.
Green, to appoint a committee to
see what could be done.
The chief sought out members
of top ranking unions, the mine
workers, which was his own union;
the BARRIERS, the bod carriers and
two other goups and osked them
to name a member to the commit
tee of five to conduct the ~investig-
alton.
John Brophy, now representing
Phillip Murray Of the CIO on the
FEP, was one of those appointed
and also naed secretary to the
group.
Hearings, public, yer ordered
held in Washington in the exc
cutive chambers of the AFL.
These ran two days with a num-
Der of local persons appearing to
testify before the group. Each
told a story condemning the atti-
tude of the AFL. And as each
story was told, the picture was
clearer and clearer that the ALL
was even then on the spot.
The committee then, at the end
of the two days, sought to con-
tinue its work by having hear
ings in other key cities, New
York, Chicago, St. Louis, and
other spots throughout the con-
try.
Instead of moving in to do,
this, the group decided to put the
matted up to Mr.. Green, who
was fully cognzant Of what was
being shown in the hearings.
Green vetoed the suggestion de-
claring it would cost too much
and recommended that the com
mlttee make its report to a spe-
cial executive commit instead
of the convention which author
lied the group. 81
During the headings, the
committee asked the witnesses
fore specific acts and suggested
remedies. Each person felt that
an educational program carried
on by the AFL would do much
to eradicate the feeling against
Negroes.
And national Unions in the
AFL have autonomy, which in
common words is the same thing
as states, rights so often heard
discussed in connection wiah le-
gislation concerning Negroes.
And on this is based the right
Of the unions to bar Negroes,
but when the convention met the
v 's5uIIseq eql Su!MoUog IeeH
Phillip Randolph again insisted
that the recommendations of the
special commiatee be adopted. A
bitter battle ensued, but the re-
concentrations were shelved.
Brophy, in discussing the pol
icies of the CLIO, pointed out the
constitution of his organization
] CONTINUED on pagesaT72)