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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 1983)
• * • • X Portland Observer, May 26, 1983 Section II Page 7 Labor struggle Continued fro m Section / / Pane 6) workers in some federal installations represented about the only substantial ly unionized part o f public sector employment. W ith increasing economic pressures, more public employees turned to unions — a trend spurred on by such developments as an Executive O rder by President Kennedy in 1962 underscoring the right o f federal employees to join unions and negotiate on many issues, and by various statutes in the states and cities providing for various forms o f collective bargaining with their personnel. Throughout the years after W orld W ar I I . women entered the workforce in ever increasing numbers, and especially significant was their entry into "n o n -tra d itio n a l" occupations. A long sought objective — equal pay for equal work — was passed by Congress in 1963, prohibiting economic dis crimination on the basis of sex. Five years later, the Age Discrimination Act was passed to assist persons in the older brackets o f the workforce. The Civil Rights Act o f 1964, strongly supported by the A F L -C IO , was a significant forward step toward equal rights for blacks and other minorities, at the workplace and in the community. President Johnson, in signing the act into law, acknowledged that it could not have happened w ithout the affirm ative support of the A F L -C IO . The Civil Rights Act could trace its legislative history back to the days of W o rld W ar I I , when A . Ph ilip Randolph, president o f the A F L Sleeping C ar Porters, persuaded President Roosevelt to issue an Executive O rder establishing a F a ir E m p lo y m e n t Practices C o m m issio n . R a n d o lp n , a brilliant union officer and civil rights champion, managed to convince FDR that governmental action to stop discrim ination in hiring and prom otion was essential to the wartime production effort. The words o f D r. M artin Luther King Jr. illustrate the common bonds among labor, blacks, Hispanics and other minority groups: " O u r needs are identical w ith lab o r's needs — decent wages, fa ir w o rkin g co n dition s, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the com m unity." Throughout these years, the A F L -C IO was forced to resist various efforts to lim it the rights o f unions. The so-called " rig h t-to -w o rk " bills, which in fact were aimed at outlawing contract language providing union security, arose in many states. In Congress there were continued efforts to expand the Hobbs Act to make every picket-line scuffle or act o f violence a federal case, even though they are currently covered by state and local laws. The increasing interest in safety on the job , heightened by the introduc tion o f new and potentially dangerous materials used in a wide variety o f industries, gave rise to labor's intensive support for a federal Occupational Safety and H ealth A c t, which became law in 1970. S pecifically, the act authorized the Secretary of Labor to establish health and safety standards, to enforce them, and to listen to employees' legitimate complaints about conditions at the workplace. F ull em ploym ent was and continued to be a first-ran k concern o f the A F L - C IO , with its vivid recollection o f past unemploym ent. The unions have kept insisting that whoever is able and willing to work should not be denied this o pp o rtu n ity. The fu ll em ploym ent concept was endorsed by labor in its successful drive for passage o f the Em ploym ent Act o f 1946, which had the support o f President Trum an. The Humphrey-Hawkins Act o f 1978 re-expressed the need to direct full attention to the problem o f un employment in the United States. This a rtic le is excerpted f r o m the A F I - C I O p u b lic a tio n , " A S h ort History o f American Labor, "prepared f o r the 1991 Centennial o f American labor. Job hunting? Some o f the books which may be helpful to you in your search are listed here and are available for use at the Multnom ah County Library, 801 S .W . Tenth Avenue (between Taylor & Yam hill) Although some o f these books are for reference use in the library only, others may be checked out on a li brary card which is issued free of charge to residents or property tax payers o f Multnom ah County. Others may obtain a card for a small fee. You may apply for your card at the registration desk, first floor. In addition to the specific books mentioned in this list, you may find it worthwhile to consult the white and yellow pages of city and tele phone directories for other cities, lo cated in the Documents Room, second floor. Exploring C areers (Documents Room). Describes general occupa tional groups in narrative form. M a k in g V o c a tio n a l C hoices (371.425 H735m ). A theory o f car eers. W h a t To D o W ith Tha Rest O f Y o ur U fa (331 702 c357w). The Catalyst career guide for women in th e '80s D ire c to ry o f C areer Resourcea fo r M in o ritie s (R 331.6 D598). D ire c to ry o f Career T rain in g and D e v e lo p m e n t P ro g ram s (R33I.7O2 D598). Describes pro grams offered by businesses, profes sional organizations and govern ment. The Profeaalonel Reeume ft Job Search Guide (650.14 D551 p). 5th edition. Sweaty Palms (650.14 M49ls). The neglected irt o f being inter viewed. Working Outside (331.702 H262w). A career and self-employ ment handbook. Machinists Machinists are skilled metal workers who can turn a block o f metal into an intricate part like a gear or piston that meets price specifications. They set up and operate most types of machine tools to make metal parts for cars, machines and equipment. They know the properties o f metals such as steel, cast iron, aluminum, brass and other metals used in industry. Almost every factory that uses machinery employes machinists to m ain tain their equipment. In some shops machinists make large quantities o f identical parts; in others they make one-of-a-kind. A form al 4-year apprenticeship is the best way to learn the trade, but so ne companies train for single-purpose machines. Persons interested in becoming machinists should b< mechanically in clined and should be able to do highly accurate work that requires concen tration and physical effort. A high school v o c a tio n a l school ed u catio n in c lu d in g m athem atics, physics, or machine shop training is desirable. Typical apprentice programs include shop tra in in g in ch ipp ing , filin g , hand tap p in g , dowel fittin g , riveting, and operation o f machine tools. In the classroom they study blue print reading, mechanical drawing, mathematics and shop practices. T o o l-a n d -D ia M a k e r * Tool-and-die makers are highly skilled, creative workers whose products — tools, dies, and special guiding and holding devices — are used by other • • ’ . r «: . • • Design and Construction of Hydroelectric Power Production and Multipurpose Dams • • Salaries range from $21,527 (Trainees) to $26,959 (Senior Level)—Based on qualifications. • Positions primarily located in Portland, OR. • B.S. Degree in Engineering or equivalent education and experience plus U S. Citizenship required. • Send resume to Ms. M Cox at address below. • • • • • • US Army Corps of Engineers Clerical and Technical Support Positions (Full or part time/ permanent or temporary) Clerk Typist • Data Transcriber • Word Processinq • Typist • Secretary (Typing/Stenography) Engineering Draftsman Engineering Aid/Technician Salaries range from $8,676 to $11.949 PA Positions available frequently Qualifications—Minimum of high school graduation or equivalent with written test results. Special qualifications (depending on position) • Typing 40 wpm • Shorthand/Briefhand, 80 wpm • Ability in drafting and/or mathematical computations Send SF 171 to Ms V. Finley at address below Portland District Personnel Office P.O. Box 2946, 319 S.W. Pine Portland, OR 97208 (371.425 (650.14 C357m). The Catlyst women's guide to successful resumes and inter views. . --\ FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS Electrical • Mechanical K76i). Where they are, how to get them; a handbook for over 500 car eer opportunities around the world. Yourself These machinists specialize in preparing tools used in large volumes. Most set-up workers work on only one type o f machine, such as a drill press. The set-up workers consult blueprints, written specifications or job layouts. From these they can determine how fast the material to be ma chined should be fed into the machine, operating speeds and the order in which the machine will perform its operations. CHALLENGING ENGINEERING POSITIONS guide. Marketing Set up Workers (Machine Tools) ★ equal opportunity employer ★ Getting Skilled (R374.8 H537 Jobe machine workers to mass-produce parts. Tool-and-die makers make jigs and fixtures (devices that hold metal while it is shaved, stamped or drilled), make gauges and other measuring devices used in manufacturing precision metal parts, construct forms (dies) to shape metal in stamping and forging operations. They also make metal molds for molding plastics. They have a broader knowledge o f machining operations, mathematics and blueprint reading then other machinists. They must be fam iliar with the properties o f metals and alloys. M ost to o l-an d -d ie makers learn their trade through apprenticeships. M ost employers prefer applicants w ith a knowledge o f math and physics and considerable m echanical a b ility , fing er d exte rity and a p titu d e for precision work. Z-------------------------------------------------------- 1980). A guide to private trade and technical schools. O cc u p atio n al Education (R378 C68 1981 v. 3). Describes public and private trade, business A career schools by state; indexed by field of training. E xa m in atio n G uides (Ask the li brarian). Books to help you prepare for civil services, armed forces, real estate, engineering and other exam inations. J o b P o w e r (650.14 H 158j 1980). The young people's job-finding International (Photo: Richard J. Brown) Machinist H.L Walls V, X ' , Aul-' S - . * , ' » *. 1 ■ . - , ». .
