Jackson advocate., 1952-12-06
Unions And Negro Employment


survey made by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on
the Negroes economic status in America pretty well
parallels the report of Senate Labor Subcommittee
The findings both indicated that the Negroes lot
has improved greatly in recent years. but that there is
still considerable gap between his position and the
white workers.
In large measure, as the Post-Dispatch points out
the Negroes rise in industry has been hampered by the
prejudicia attitude of labor unions Although great
strides have been made by the ClO and AFL in breaking
down this internal barrier the Negro still faces
less formidable preudices on the part of labor as we'll
management.
1t should be pointed out in this connection that Of
ten empoyer-ths is particularly true in the South
is preudiced against the Negro because of the pre-
judice of his white employees.
The plant manager may know that prospective
Negro worker is well qualified He may be anxious to hire
the Negro But he fears the harmonious operation of his
plant will be disrupted because of the attitude of
of the white workers. His reason for not hiring the
Negro may not be so much personal prejudice it is
the knowledge that it's bad business for him.
It's hard to tell man charged with duty of keep
ing expenses to minimum and efficiency at maximum
that he should be a crusader - hire the Negro even
though it costs the company money
Now at.unons have taken the initiative in elmi-
mating these attitudes by educational programs manage
ments prejudice should be proportionately reduced
AS late 1945, according to the Post-Dspatch,
80 unions consistently practced discrimination by
constitutional provisions in their union charers by
tacity agreeing keep Negroes out by forcing the
Negro into segregated auxiliary locals
In most the constitutional provisions have
been eliminated but unions in many still inhiblt
the Negro by tac agreements by control of appren
ticeships particularly in the craft unions.
nucleus of resistance to Negro membership, has shown
signs of relaxing their restrictions although their rolls
remain virtually closed to Negroes, the Post-Dispatch
says
In the Negro in the United States by E. Franklin
Frazier Negro professor of sociology at Howard Unver
sity the CLOS fight against discrimination in its
bership is noted:
In the South the most important movement toward
the negraton of Negro workers into industry has been
the drive of the CIO which go under way at the begin
ming of 1916 The CIO has maintained the principle of
nonsegregated local unions This policy has been a.
doped the basis of past experience which showed that
separate local unions established vested interests among
Negro well as white workers. In connection with the
union drive there is educational campaign designed to
reduce racial pref udice and discrimination The drive
of the ClO has been successful, especially in textiles,
lumber and food processing Moreover there is great
acceptance of the idea of upgradng Negro workers
we'll as of equal pay
Thus it is obvious that it is not always management
who is responsible for holdng the Negro down. the
general belief goes The educational programs of unions
will accomplish from within what force legislation
could ever do.
EDITORS NOTE: All legislation has type of
enforcement power. Management factor of produc
ton could become force against hostile job discrimna
ton Not all shops plants mills and factories union
labor In such instances trade unions cannot be blamed
Workers often the attitudes of employers. In
dustra leaders could become the leaders in worker edu
cation for fair job opportunities.