While the Ad Hoc group was not represented at the meeting, held in headquarters of the TULC, 8670 Grand River, Thomas Turner, president of the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO Council, expressed the belief it would participate in efforts to resolve differences between blacks and whites in the construction field. Turner said that almost 200 black trade union leaders attended the session and put their stamp of approval on the plan outlined by Simmons for avoiding a confrontation between blacks and whites at construction sites here. The meeting had been called by Turner and Robert (Buddy) Battles, president of the TULC and a vice president of Ford Local 600, UAW. Also present was Horace Sheffield, administrative assistant to Nelson (Jack) Edwards, a member of the UAW executive board. Turner, who is also president of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, announced some time ago that the NAACP had pulled out of the Ad Hoc group "because it was not what we expected it to be." The key roles played by Turner, Battle and Sheffield in the meeting indicated they do not intend to permit the Ad Hoc group to torpedo the Simmons plan before it has even been put into effect. The Ad Hoc group, headed by Hank Rogers, chairman, has threatened to boycott government efforts to bring about a peaceful solution. It has been calling for a showdown. "We are urging that all community organizations support the plan outlined by Mr. Simmons," Turner said. The basics of the Simmons plan are: Training blacks for Detroit construction jobs. While a minimum of 1,000 has been discussed, the government reportedly would like to see much more than that number brought into such a program which would be financed by funds under the Manpower Training Act administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Jobs for blacks who have already had training in the construction industry if they make themselves available. Giving black contractors technical and managerial assistance, plus financing, so that they could get building contracts. But Simmons has said that his points represent only the rough framework of his plan. He added that it would be subject to revision on the recommendations of the tripartite committee. The following contractor groups has submitted the following names to Simmons for the committee: Anthony Asher, Sheet Metal Employers Association of Detroit; Stanley Veighey, manager of labor relations for the Detroit chapter, Association of General Contractors (AGC); Thomas Storey, Mechanical Contractors Association; J. B. Willer, Michigan Carpenter Contractors Association; and Perry T. Shilts, the Southeastern Michigan chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Associa tion. The Detroit Building Trades Council (DBTC) has named Jack Wood, DBTC secretary-manager; Stanley Arnold, secretary-treasurer of the Michigan State Building Trades Council; Daniel Diamond, president of the DBTC; and George Strandloff, of Teamsters Local 247. [From the Washington Post, Nov. 9, 19691 CHICAGO UNIONS AGREE TO TRAIN MORE BLACKS (By Fred Frailey, Chicago Sun-Times) Chicago The coalition for United Community Action has reached tentative agreement with building trades unions and contractors on a program to train more blacks for skilled jobs in Chicago's construction industry. The verbal accord was reached in Mayor Richard J. Daley's office. It is subject to ratification by the 19 unions affiliated with the Chicago Building Trades Council, by the 67 member organizations of the coalition and by the Building Construction Employers Association. Daley said the participants will return to City Hall Wednesday to "formalize” the program and announce its details. Thomas J. Murray, president of the Chicago Building Trades Council, said he would recommend acceptance of what he and others called the Chicago Plan to unions belonging to the Council. Murray said members of each union will vote sometime after Wednesday on whether to accept the proposal. "We put together the elements of what we hope to call the Chicago Plan," Murray told newsmen after the four-hour meeting in the mayor's office. "It is one that we as officers of the Chicago Building Trades Council feel we can recommend to our affiliates." "We have agreed, point by point," said the Rev. C. T. Vivian, co-ordinator of the coalition. "All essentials are there. It is an agreement that is fair to all concerned. It is our hope that this will be more than a piece of paper, that it will really be the realization of all our hopes and dreams, not just for ourselves, but for all of the city." Daley, in a statement to reporters, called the proposed agreement "the most outstanding plan in the country to bring in minorities." Labor Secretary George P. Shultz said at a press conference here that he was "delighted" by the tentative agreement because he "has always favored hometown solutions." Shultz said he would have to study the settlement before he could say how it would affect Labor Department actions to promote equal job opportunities. He was in Chicago to address the Business Leaders Emergency Conference on Crime and Delinquency. Neither Daley, Murray nor Mr. Vivian would reveal details of the accord. But others among the two dozen participants gave this outline : An accelerated training program for blacks, separate from the traditional apprenticeship system, will be established in each trade where it is possible. An operations committee will be established in each trade that ratifies the agreement. Any training program for blacks in a particular trade must be by mutual consent of both the union and black coalition members. An administrative committee, with seven members, will carry out the training programs agreed to by the operations committee of a trade, providing recruiting help when asked and seeking funds to finance the programs. The unions, contractors and coalition each will have two members on the administrative committee, with Mayor Daley being the seventh member. The votes of five administrative committee members would be necessary to render decisions. Only those building trades unions which ratify agreement will take part in training programs arising from it. The proposal represents a compromise of the opposing plans of the blacks and of the unions and building contractors to expand the number of Negroes working in skilled construction jobs. STATEMENT OF CHARLES W. BOWSER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PHILADELPHIA URBAN COALITION, TO U.S. SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, HONORABLE SAM J. ERVIN, CHAIRMAN, IN SUPPORT OF THE PHILADELPHIA PLAN The United States Attorney General has reviewed the question of the separation of powers raised by the opposition to the Philadelphia Plan by the Comptroller General and support of the Plan by the Executive Branch of Government and he has concluded that the Philadelphia Plan is a statement of policy which is clearly within the province of the President. The Comptroller General has no policy-making role for the country and his opinions are only relevant when they relate to specific contractual and other fact situations. It is clear to anyone who reviews the history of repeated attacks on the Philadelphia Plan that the change in Administration as a result of the 1968 election has been viewed as a signal to eliminate the forceful action of the previous Administration in civil rights. The Philadelphia Plan is just one of several targets of those who would retreat on civil rights. Since the direct attacks on the Plan have failed, these Sub-Committee hearings can only be viewed as another attempt to destroy the Plan. Those who decry the possibility of quotas to include black workmen in the trades covered by the Philadelphia Plan make no reference to quotas and other subterfuges which have been used to exclude black men. The revised Plan applies to steamfitters, sheet metal workers, plumbers, electricians, structural iron workers, and elevator contractors. National figures show that minority workers are less than 2% of the work force in those trades. In Philadelphia, they are less than 1.6%. Philadelphia steamfitters admitted 37-693-70-15 only one black student to a class of 19 apprentices. This is consistent with a traditional pattern. In 1966, minority apprentices were 4 out of 193 in sheet metal; 3 out of 169 iron workers, 5 out of 812 plumbers and pipe fitters, and 4 out of 419 electricians. In 1968, for all building trades, only 45 minority workers were admitted to apprentice programs of a total of 1,344 apprentices. Our review of the trades covered by the Plan indicates the following: Structural Iron Workers: of 85 apprentices-2 minority workers of 765 journeymen-10 minority journeymen Steamfitters: of 249 apprentices-5 minority workers of 2,059 journeymen-8 minority journeymen Sheet Metal Workers: of 188 apprentices-3 minority workers of 1,500 journeymen-14 minority journeymen Electricians: of 300 apprentices-14 minority workers of 1,974 journeymen-26 minority journeymen Plumbers: of 135 apprentices-6 minority workers of 2,200 journeymen-6 minority journeymen Elevator Constructors: Of 562 journeymen-3 minority helpers The facts clearly indicate that the trades involved in the Plan will not end racist practices of exclusion without the strongest possible action at the highest levels of Government. The public funds expended by the Federal Government cannot continue to support those institutions, policies, and practices which limit or exclude minorities from full participation in all the benefits derived by those expenditures. The Philadelphia Urban Coalition supports the Philadelphia Plan because it is an attempt to replace injustice with justice. We support the Plan because it offers the best alternative to conflict and confrontation. We support the Plan because we believe our City and the Nation can no longer tolerate the denial of full and equal opportunity to minority groups. The real issue before this Committee is not the separation of powers, but rather the credibility of the American concepts of opportunity and justice. Respectfully submitted, CHARLES W. BOWSER, Correspondence, Including Statements of Views Submitted for the Record AMALGAMATED PLUMBERS ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA, Philadelphia, Pa., October 29, 1969. Senator SAM J. ERVIN, Jr., DEAR SENATOR ERVIN: I am a Master Plumber Representative of The Amalgamated Plumbers Association. I am one-hundred percent (100%) for the Philadelphia Plan. We have the Constitution of the United States stating that all citizens of this country shall have equal rights. We have in Philadelphia the Cradle of Liberty, a law stating that we must have fair employment. We have also a Department of Human Rights. These laws or commitments have not been implemented or enforced. The minority and hard-core people have not had all their rights. They have not had even an opportunity to earn a livelihood, thereby causing the conditions that they are in today as well as an expense to the Government and to the City of Philadelphia. So if the Philadelphia Plan is implemented and enforced it will improve these conditions and make better citizens. The people who are opposed to the Philadelphia Plan are saying that their rights have been taken from them. The rights of minority groups have been taken from them for hundreds of years. So they should be willing to meet whatever requirements are necessary to remedy or improve these conditions and give the minority and hard-core people an opportunity to be better citizens. I will repeat again that I am one hundred percent in favor of the Philadelphia Plan. But it must be enforced by the Federal Government if it is to be effective. I remain, Yours truly, ELMER J. TAYLOR, Master Plumber Representative of the Amalgamated Plumbers Association. JOSEPH D. DOLAN, Area Supervisor, Amalgamated Plumbers Association, JULY 3, 1968. On Tuesday, July 2, 1968, I was visited by Mr. Elmer J. Taylor who is one of the charter members and is an active leader of the subject group. Attached is a copy of a news release dated May 9, 1968. The news release describes the training program which is being conducted by the association. Apparently, from Mr. Taylor's discussion with me, the group seems to be doing an unusual and somewhat successful training activity. They are now interested in exploring the possibility of improving and expanding their program. This will require assistance in funding. All costs to date have been paid for by the individuals and the group. Mr. Taylor, representing the association, was sent to me by Mr. Alvin Echols, Executive Director of the North City Congress. Mr. Echols is well aware of the value of a cooperative training plan in conjunction with federal funding assistance; because he and North City Congress conducted a highly successful "On Job Training" program for more than four-hundred trainees under MDTA. I suggested that Mr. Taylor should contact you for advice and assistance. I did so because this is not an ordinary "OJT" type of activity. It might have some merit as a research type project. It does provide for the possibility of developing minority group representatives in the apprenticeable skilled occupations. I also suggested to Mr. Taylor that they seriously consider the establishment of a formalized apprenticeship program within the association. I told him that he should prepare, prior to contacting you for a possible meeting, various types of information which would be pertinent. For example: Records of their accomplishments, costs records, estimates of space needs, material needs, equipment neds, number of persons to be trained, etc. Perhaps, when they contact you for a possible meeting, you will have other information deemed necessary for such meeting. I believe that it would be to the best interest of all concerned that you explore this matter with Mr. Taylor and their representatives from the Amalgamated Plumbers Association of Philadelphia. If I can be of any assistance, please let me know. AMALGAMATED PLUMBERS ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA, Philadelphia, Pa. Association of Plumbing, Heating & Allied Trade Contractors This association performs a service for the employer members as well as for the apprentices and trainees that benefit from these services. We have a membership of One Hundred and seventeen (117) members. The Master Plumbers of this association are training fifty (50) trainees a year from the applicants to the Association. The Amalgamated Plumbers Association will see that fifty (50) trainees per year, when they finish training will be guaranteed employment. The Amalgamated Plumbers Association is a non-profit organization. The Master Plumbers belonging to the Amalgamated are in charge of the education and training of the Apprentices to develop them into Journeymen and Master Plumbers. These Instructors contribute their services without pay. The present membership have contributed their own funds to purchase the association building at 3910 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. Their aim is to make the Amalgamated the best plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, refrigeration and allied trades association in the country. We therefore, respectfully seek your assistance to be funded to the amount of $100,000.00 per year. We are not a dream, and we are past the experimental stage. We have been organized for 5 years. We have trained many young men who have become Master Plumbers and Journeymen, and have helped them become members of the Local Plumbers Union. Your consideration and acceptance of this request will take us a long way to help reduce the hard-core unemployed, and make them into good earning taxpayers, and citizens. Respectfully yours, ELMER J. TAYLOR, Master Plumbers Representative of the Almagated Plumbers Association. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS, Hon. SAM J. ERVIN, Jr., DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This will refer to your letter advising the American Association of State Highway Officials of hearings scheduled by your Subcommittee on October 27th and 28th on the so-called revised Philadelphia Plan for administering the Equal Employment Opportunity Program. The matter was discussed at great length by the Executive Committee and our Committee on Administration last week at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Association at Philadelphia. The undersigned was authorized to write this letter to you for inclusion in the record of the above-mentioned hearings, and the action was unanimous by those present with only representation from Louisiana and New York being absent at the time. First of all, the American Association of State Highway Officials is dedicated to the concept of Equal Employment Opportunity and we feel strongly that Federal Highway Administration Order Interim 7-2(1) is the proper vehicle for handling the Equal Employment Opportunity Program in the Federal-aid highway program. We are also dedicated to the concept that in order to have meaningful competitive bidding in the public interest, all of our bidders must have knowledge of what is to be required of them in satisfactorily handling a project, and that all bidders be subjected to the identical requirements. Over the years, bidding in the highway program has become a sophisticated and precise thing which, we believe, must be continued and protected. It is for this reason that the State highway departments oppose the preaward conference procedure that was stricken from the original Philadelphia Plan. We do not believe that a bidder submitting his Affirmative Action Program should be required to work up such information, together with manning tables, without having definite and precise information on what is to be required of him and all other bidders. In other words, we do not believe his Affirmative Action Program and the manning tables should be a basis for determining whether or not a bidder is to be given the award. In other words, all bidders should be required to submit the same material. We also look upon the manning tables as a quota system and we cannot support a quota system just for the purpose of placing a specified number of minority individuals on a project. We believe that training and competence must be factors, and if an individual does not have the necessary qualifications for a job, that adequate training programs should be provided so that he can obtain the necessary competitive and marketable skills before being added to the project roster. The following position is the one that was unanimously supported by all of those present and it is as follows: We do not believe that there is any necessity to use the Philadelphia Plan in the highway program, but should it be injected into the program, it should be after the legal differences between the Attorney General of the United States and the Comptroller General are rectified with regard to the legality of the socalled Philadelphia Plan. Frankly, the State highway departments do not want to get caught in the middle, neither do they want to become involved in any drawn out test suits. |