Portland Observer, May 11, 1983 Section II Page 5
Strike threat plagues UAW convention
by William Allan
Fremont. CA — The 27th Coosti-
tutional Convention o f the United
Auto Worker» Union (U A W ) A FL-
C IO open» at the Dallas Convention
Center Sunday, M ay IS , with the
backdrop of General Motor», Ford,
and Chrysler reporting profits after
taxes for the first quarter of 1983 of
over SI billion.
The U A W leadership will reveal
its lowest paid membership in many
years with little over 900,000, a drop
from I.S million reported at the last
constitutional convention in A na­
heim, Ca.
The union admits to 260,000 un­
employed members and 300,000
retirees.
The union leadership is coming
into this convention with a contro­
versial record of having approved
concessions in wages and fringes to
the Big Three of S3.6 billion, since
the Anaheim convention.
W h ile the U A W claims to have
1,000locals in the U.S. and Canada,
it is expected that there w ill be a
number o f locals not able to send
delegates because of drastic cuts in
income due to heavy layoffs. Some
2,300 voting delegates will attend,
claim U A W press releases.
It is never explained by union
convention arrangers why such
gatherings are held in cities with few
auto workers. The convention
usually costs several million dollars.
This year it wtR see the retirement of
President Douglas Fraser, and
executive board members Ken
M o rris, Bard Young and Buddy
Battles.
A floor strategy is expected to try
to prevent hot discussions on getting
some money back of the S3.6 billion
given to G M , F ord, Chrysler by
their workers, based on the over a
billion made in this first quarter and
G M 's close to SI b illio n in 1982.
One tactic will be to spend lots of
convention time on hoopla electing
Owen Bieber to succeed Fraser and
fillin g vacancies on the executive
board.
H ow ever, Fraser w ill not be
leaving the auto scene. He has
decided to stay as a member o f the
Board of Directors of Chrysler Cor­
poration. In the last two quarters
Chrysler has made close to a quarter
of a million dollars in profits, and
Robert M iller. Chrysler’s executive
vice president, says they expect
similar profits in the second quarter
of 1983
Negotiations w ill open between
Chrysler and the U A W in January,
1984, and M ille r says some wage
concessions will be asked in fringes
and increased production.
The
G M -T o y o ta
move to
establish what could be an open
shop at the Fremont plant here after
the U A W -G M contract expires in
September 1984 could become the
most explosive issue at the Dallas
convention.
Now the U A W Local 1364
delegation from the Fremont plant
has sent a letter to the convention
asking that it instruct the officers to
wage a battle to see that U A W
members will be first hired when the
new T o y o ta -G M small car starts
rolling there. The G M -Toyota duo
plans to produce 200,000 small cars
a year but says no more than 3,000
workers will be needed.
“ If there are any moves not to put
Fremont on the flo o r, the entire
C a lifo rn ia U A W delegation w ill
react strongly," said George Nano,
shop chairm an at the now closed
Fremont plant and a convention
delegate, “ Sure, we w ill use the
petition method, but we will demon­
strate also on the floor and outside
to win support.“ *
. .. .
During the convention the Ford
plant at M ilp ita s , C a ., w ill start
phasing out the jobs of the several
hundred workers left from the 3,000
that worked there five years ago.
Fraser's answer to much of this is
that it will all be settled by what he
has called "peaceful collective bar­
gaining." However, recently in New
Orleans U A W -G M sub-councils
voted to back the Fremont workers
to stop the plant re-opening with
non-union employees. The two sub­
council delegates from 20 locals in
assembly
divisions
voted
unanimously to get all locals to add
support to Fremont U A W ers in
Local strike demands to GM .
Rose float donations sought
The A lb in a community w ill be
represented by a float in the Rose
Festival G rand F lo ra l Parade if
necessary funds are raised.
" F ro m 1968 through 1971, the
Jimmy Bang-Bang W alker Youth
Foundation, a non-profit organiza­
tion, sponsored prize-winning floats
representing P ortland's A lbina
com m unity.” Bang-Bang W alker
said, " W e believe 1983 is the right
time to re-establish Albina's spirit
of community by entering another
float in the Grand Floral Parade.”
The formal design for this year’s
float has already been drawn, but
the frame welding and flowers will
cost $8,000 and must be paid for in
advance, and the deadline is May
20, 1983. Organizations can help by
mailing their checks to the Float For
Albina Fund, a specially established
trust account at the American State
Bank. Those sending contributions
will join the Phil Reynolds Medical
C lin ic, Pacific Northwest Bell,
Burns Bros., A A Ambulance. Franz
Bakery and P ortland Bottling
Company who have already contri­
buted that amount to help enter a
float from A lb in a in this year's
Grand Floral Parade.
Along with a receipt, the Founda­
tion will send contributors buttons
bearing the " F lo a t for O ur C om ­
m u n ity " slogan, and they w ill
receive a special listing in the news
media o f the community. Im m edi­
ate help is needed. By responding to
this appeal as promptly as possible,
the public can help maintain Port­
land's most beautiful tradition —
the Rose Festival G rand Floral
Parade. Send contributions to
American State Bank Account
Number 020-53033, M ain Branch,
2737 NE Union Ave., Portland OR
97212.
Jaroma Broussard visits with Theodor« Freemen. S r . a man who
owaa his Ufa to ths young man.
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
Broussard saves neighbor
C H A D D EB N A M
Debnam chosen
Cbwl Debqam bas becn^ppoiat,.
cd to the M ultnom ah County
Charter Review Committee.
The scope o f the committee will
research the present charter and
Home Rule provisions. In light of
present county cutbacks and the
possible decline in services, Debnam
believes the finding of this commit­
tee could be invaluable to future
health and development o f Multno­
mah County.
The committee must present its
finding to the public by August 3,
1983. All amendments to the charter
proposed by the committee may be
voted on in the November 1984
General Election.
Jackson discusses excellence
(Continued from page I col. 6)
logical bridge between America and
A frica are A fro -A m ericans. This
may be the finest contribution we
make to this culture — our ability to
bridge gaps between this country
and other people o f the T h ird
W o rld . In the ease o f A fric a , the
first w orld."
Rev. Jackson stated in his speech
that the migrant in America is equi­
valent to the black in South Africa.
"B lacks did not come to this
country looking for a thrill and were
not given a reception at the Statue
o f L ib e rty . We came as slaves
against our w ill. Hispanics were
annexed
and
subjected
to
genocide. M igrants and N ative
Americans were victims o f the
policies o f genocide. It is with the
migrant that the great duplicity o f
American morality comes out. We
love the labor and despise the chil­
dren of the migrants. There must be
some consideration for those who
were victims o f negative action.
There must be affirmative action to
offset the negative action. We must
commit ourselves to the matter o f
attitude — to defend the poor,
motherless, fatherless and the
needy___ In a real sense, the
m igrant in Am erica is A m erica’ s
version o f South A frica. W ho else
has to carry the passbook and the
shame?”
Rev. Jackson was recently
catapulted into the national
spotlight with the mayorial election* -
in Chicago. Those who predicted a
defeat fo r H aro ld Washington
placed blame on Jessie Jackson’s
flamboyant style and oratory. Some
segments of the white press publicly
lynched Jackson. He responded,
“ Historically, strong black leader­
ship has always been victimized by
reaction. There is an attem pt by
whites to make o f us lepers. Our
people react by putting us on quar­
antine. In my case, there has been
the attem pt to put on the leprosy
spots, but for the most part, black
people and people o f other races
have come to my rescue. That may
be because the media is so broad
based and diversified. We are living
in a time where the media cannot
conceal their crucifixion. It is not
just me. The day Ron Dellums was
to have hearings on the m ilitary
budget, they threw the dope leprosy
on him. The Ethics Committee was
to be chaired by Louis Stokes and
they threw the drunk driving leprosy
on him. So, there is a trend histori­
cally to cut us down."
Jessie Jackson gave new meaning
and life to economic boycotts be­
cause he spearheaded an economic
boycott on Coca Cola and Budweiser.
What are his feelings on the Black
United Front's boycott on 7-Up and
the P ortland B ottling Company?
“ Boycotts are legal and effective, if
you have the numbers and the disci­
pline. I'm hot aware of the Portland
boycott but we have worked out a
m ajor agreement with the 7-U p
Bottling Company in St. Louis. I f
they will get in touch with us we can
• provide some-help and-a sense-of
direction.”
A t the conference Jackson said he
will make up his mind whether he
wants to run as a presidential
& CAR
TELEPHONES
candidate on the Democratic ticket
by August of 1983. In our interview
he stated, " A black running in the
general election as a third party
candidate w ill have the effect o f
strengthening Reagan's options. It
would not be good for us to give this
adm inistration more room to
operate from . It's too an ti-p o o r,
people and education. I t ’ s pro-
military and elitist, and is in fact,
compounding the civilization
crisis.” In his address Jackson says,
" T h e nation does not have the
option to choose the sex or color of
its healer.”
Rev. Jessie Jackson concluded his
sermon at the M igrant Education
Conference with, "Strong leader­
ship molds opinion. When your
back is against the wall you use what
you've got. When your back is
against the w all, stay sober, sane
and s en sitive... .Choose reason
over race, love over hate and char­
acter over color. You are God's
child and no matter what your sin is,
the Kingdom of God is within. And
the Lord did not bring us this far to
leave us now. Join hands and say,
'M y mind is a testament. I f I can
conceive it and my heart believes it,
I know I can achieve i t i ’ I may be
black, a migrant or poor. But I can
make it. In our day we will go from
(he slumhouse to the statehouse.
From the Statehouse to (he court­
house. And from the courthouse to
the White House!”
Contracting
(Continued from page ! col. 6/
The N atio n al Association o f
M in o rity Constructors (N A M C )
formed a Task Force to deal with
key issues. Among the amendments
the Task Force seeks to have includ­
ed in the D O T regulations are:
a) That minority requirements be
implemented on a contract by con­
tract basis to "assure maximum
opportunity for MBEs to participate
in a broad range of contract perfor­
mance.”
b) A rule that requires recipients
to seek m inority contractors from
other jurisdictions if none from the
local jurisdiction can be used.
c) A more stringent procedure
‘relative’ to the waiver provision:
granting no waivers without a public
hearing and allowing a penalty when
recipients have failed to comply.
• Uooa ont» 4 w o rn o f powor. yot covon WOO *q ft.
• Poos o< un «or control 2-4 wkn
Now
*49”
Or aevo’20“ off reg price
Send order« w ith chock or money order to:
713 S.W. 12thStrsst
Call 224-BEEP (or a frsa demonstration.
Trumbull & Sons Dist.
P.O. Box 238
Boardman, OR BJB1B
Theodore Freeman Sr., a retired
railroad man, probably owes his life
to a manly little boy seven years old.
The boy is Jerome Broussard, son
o f M rs. Christine Broussard who
fives next door to the Freemans on a
friendly street in the shadow of King
elementary school. Jerome attends
the Im m aculate H eart parochial
school where he is in second grade
(" d o in g third grade w o rk ," his
mother confides proudly).
A few weeks ago. Freeman, a
diabetic, drove (he fam ily car to
" ru n some erra n d s ." Returning
home he felt sleepy and a little
nauseated as he steered his car into
his driveway. " I remember parking
the car. and th at’ s a ll," Freeman
relates.
Jerome, playing near, eventually
noticed Freeman's car carefully
parked, but he also noted that the
motor was running, and (hat (here
was smoke coming from the ex­
haust. Freeman was slumped and
asleep against the closed windows of
the car. "There was an awful lot of
rowwMJDATWD aaroer or cownmoM TO raa i
noise coming from the car," Jerome
remembers, "and I thought maybe
the car might blow up. I tried to
wake M r. Freeman up, hut he didn’t
hear me and I knew something had
to be done.
“ I ran to tell Jacquelyn Quesada
— she's 15 years old. She looked at
the car and yelled to her m other,
'Something is wrong with M i
Freeman.' ”
The mother, C laia Quesada, ran
to the car and together they pulled
Freeman out of the cat into t|ic
fresh air — and turned o il the car’s
motor.
Mrs. Freeman, out ol the cits .it
the time o f the incident, was not
told o f the occurrence until het
return to the city several days lutei
After a day or two of rest, l-ieeman
was feeling no ill effects and
returned to planting a spring
garden.
No need to ask Freeman who is
his favorite little boy in the neigh
borhood. He's quick to tell you
"Jerome Broussard."
r or b a m b * rr*T » o r o o b o o n
rin u n *n