Evening star., 1947-01-26
intolerance
Put to Rout
New Office in JAW
Wins War Against
Discrimination
By Felix B. VOID

to combat racial intolerance.
The big union, one of Americas S
largest units of organized labor with
a membership of $4,000 auto factory
workers, is operating new "fair
practices and antidiscrimination'
department.
The UAW, whose membership
embraces virtually every race and
nationality, claims to be the only
labor union with such q setup on a
national basis.
| In operation formally since last
October, the unions new Office was
created by order of the last con-
! vention. Red-haired Walter P.
Reuther, union president, is director
Chunky and affable William Oliver,
Isl, former sweeper in a Ford Motor
Co. plant, is co-director. He is
colored.
Both say the UAW regards "fair
practices" and "nondiscrimination
as basic union concerns. Mr.. Oliver
and his aides cite case after case
in which they say the union came
out the winner in fights for toler-
ance, both within the union family
Itself, where the prejudice of men,
ber against member was overcome
and in formal relations between the
UAW and company managements.
| Appeal Procedure Set Up.
With the advent of the fair prac-
tices department, Mr.. Oliver says
the UAW hopes to carry on its
program still more effectively. He
says the UAW is the only union with
a defined procedure" for settling
discrimination cases.
Any member-white or Negro
Jamaican, Mexican or Indian-has
the right to seek redress from dis
elimination from his own local
union superiors and to appeal to the
international union.
The unions constitution provides
the extreme penalty '-expulsion-
for violation of union laws. Although
no instances of this sort have beer
reported, the unions antidiscrimi-
nation rule is enforceable by
expulsion.
Each union local has a fair prac-
tices and antidiscrimination COM
mittee. 1t is directed to promote
fair employment practices and en-
deavor to eliminate discrimination
affecting the welfare of the In
dividual members of the local unions
the international union, the labor
movement and the Nation"
In that connection, the auto union
wrote into its original constitution
that one objective was to unite
a. regardless of religion, race
creed. color, political afiliation, OF
) nationality"
Staff Of Four In Charge.
The fair practices central Office
situated on Detroit's tree-borderec
Second Boulevard, functions with
Mr.. Oliver and a staff of three full.
time, paid international representa-
tives.
One Of the latter is Nebraska
born Joseph Tuna, Of Czecho-
slovakian descent, who talks of his
union as "rigidly democratic" He
says the fair practices department
does a real and practical job" Mr.
Tuma's co-workers are Mildred
Jeffrey, who is Irish, and Lillian
Hatcher, a Negro.
AS Mr.. Oliver tells it, the fair
practices department works for "any
Joe Doakes in the shop"
1--WE established q climate within
local unions which is practically
non-discriminatory," he said. "We've
licked heck of a lot of those
problems now"
MIR. Oliver said the UAW had
succeeded in writing into half Of
all it's contracts a clause under which
management agrees not to dis
criminate in hiring, training, up
grading, transfer, layof or discharge
of workers.
Most of the Negro-white preju-
dice, he said, is found in the border
States of the North and South.
Progress is being made there, how
ever, he added.
Many Devices Employed.
The union pursues its antidis-
elimination program by numerous
pamphlets and cartoons and
through the radio, local forums and
moving pictures.
| Fighting racial prejudice, says Mr..
Tuna, takes "just little bit OF
decent courage, and you'd be sur
prised at the results
Together, he and Mr.. Oliver listed
general UAW policy as:
Il. No Jim Crow union locals.
"2. No segregation in factories.
"3. No lilly white elections.
(Places on union ballots are open
to ALL
a. No separate seniority lists"
Mr.. Oliver cited examples of the
unions antidiscrimination opera
tions.
The Fair Practices Department
intends also to take vigorous part
in campaigns to place fair practice
laws on State statute books, Mr..
Oliver said. The UAW has been
particularly active in that endeavor
in Michigan and California.
Another union fight is against the
restrictive housing covenant" under
which property owners. privately
agree to forbid occupancy OF homes
by other than members of their own
race.
Detroit. with its large Negro