• *
• •
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
■ .
- , ».
.