The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-03-27
Crysler-


CONTINUED from Page II
that Negro women employed by the
! Chrysler company. are not treated
as other women.
The true story is. that Negro men
employed by Chrysler have been
harboring grievances over a period
Of two years-grievances which
hae been accentusted by the SEEM
ingly bad treatment OF Negro wom-
en- hired at the Highland Park
plant. They complain that for %
years the only capacity in which
Negroes were hired at the plant was
as jsnitors, steel pullers. material
handlers: that these jobs only pay
SOC an hour and there is no oppor-
tunity for upgrading Negroes be-
cause the company does not en-
courage training OF colored en-
ployes; that Negro men who could
have found jobs elsewhere where
wages are better and opportunity
for advancement greater; that Me-
gro women employed at the plant
have taken the places OF Negro men
who left the janitor and common
labor jobs.
In all fairness 10 management, 1t
must be reported that all these
charges are not supported by fact
especially the charge that there Is
no upsrading. FEPC reports reveal
that in recent months 20 Negro men
have been promoted by Chrysler,
eleven dropping out because they
did not like their new Jobs. Some
OF those promoted. according to
FEPC. have returned to their jobs
as sweepers and steel pullers or
material handlers.
Women Give the Story
However, Negro women tell a
different story and give the funda-
mental cause of unrest which re-
suited in last weeks walkout. To
some extent they also substantiate
charges made last week that Local
900 has been dereilct in ito duties.
| Names Of the women interviewed
are kept secret for obvious reasons)
Here is the statement Of a wom-
an who has been employed at the
Highland Park plant for several
months: I'VE are not given the
same opportunity for promotions
that white women are given. In the
first place, Frank Mstheny, su-
perintendent, has stated that we
have GOT TO do the hard work,
such as pulling steel, running jit-
neys and heavy morping. Many OF
us were hired as elevator operators
| but have never run an elevator at
the plant because the men on the
elevators refuse 10 transfer to the
work we are doing. They say the
work is too hard for them. We have
taken our complaints 10 the union
to the proper sources-but there
has been no action"
A second stated: MANY OF us
have trained for skilled jobs, were
hired as mstrons, but our jobs soon
developed into common labor in the
shops-labor for which the COM
pany is unable to hire men. White
girls turn these jobs down and are
given other work, but Negro wom-
en- are told 10 begin with that they
must do these jobs or ring their
cards and 60 home. / was fred
from my job because l wanted TO
change my clothes before going out
TO sweep around the building at
am. on q cold morning ! had been
working in hot place all night and
would have been exposed to catch
ing a severe cold. Miller Klien
fired me, but after much persuasion
was given my job back"
Forced to Eat In Toilets
How Negro women were forced
to eat in dirty toilets was told by
still another woman who made the
following statement I'VE are con.
stsntly being inundated because
we insist on eating in the regular
places When we first went TO the
plant they gave us separate toilets
far from our work-and we were
told we would have to eat our lunch
in these restrooms. There Is MOTH
ing but two benches and low
table in them. We don't know
what they were used for before we
were hired. Once when a colored
girl changed her clothes in white
girls restroom, she went back and
found that the buttons had been
cut off her coat and her goloshes
cut into shreds. We complained "a
the plant committeeman about thi.
but have never heard anything
from him" -
These conditions were discussed
by Negro employees before Carter
led the wslkout Wednesday. They
had been reported TO union commit.
;eemen and discussed with manage.