Supreme Court deals blow to affirmative
1984Roland Sheppard 1984-08Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 11 →
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affirmative action and seniority rights.
But the unions must adjust seniority to The June 12, 1984, U.S. Supreme protect affirmative action gains and Court decision on affirmative action must begin to unite the rank and file so and job seniority is a blow to the gains that an effective fight for jobs can be won by the civil rights movement of the * The bosses try to pit higher-seniority workers who are laid off against Blacks, The court ruled in the case of Black Latinos, women, and other oppressed Memphis fire fighters that union seniorminorities. The unions must counter ity lists could not be modified to meet this by opposing all layoffs. They must affirmative action quotas. For there to call for a 30-hour workweek with no be any modification of seniority, the reduction in pay to keep everybody on court ruling stated, it was not sufficient the job and to put to work the millions to prove that discrimination existed. It was now necessary to prove individual The German workers have pointed discrimination as well as actual intent to the way in this fight. They launched a nationwide campaign for a 35-hour Now the court wants to take us back week. In this country the fight for the to the old days when the law of the land shorter workweek can only be won by a for Blacks, women, and other minori- united working-class movement that ties was 'last hired-first fired. " puts the interests of its most abused The administration and the corporations cheered this decision, as was to be Centuries of discrimination against expected. Unfortunately, many of the Blacks and women have been overcome union leaders who were content with the only to a token extent through affirmaracist status quo in the past have also tive-action hiring. But now even these gains are being wiped out by this recent Supreme Court decision. The labor Both affirmative action and seniority movement must take a stand in solidarare important gains of the working class ity with the most oppressed and in preventing discrimination against exploited layers of the working class workers. Recently there have been who will be the victims of this latest attacks upon and erosion of both ACTION 1960s. discriminate. applauded the ruling.
Boston Socialist Action
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ANYONE KNOW HOW
JUSTICE O'CONNOR VOTED ON THIS DISCRIMINATION IN LAW PARTNERSHIPS CASE? Houston Socialist Ac tion University of Housto Box 551, 4800 Calhor In Houston, TX 77004 (713) 643-2030 Los Angeles Socialist Action 18653 Ventura Blvd Box 217 Los Angeles, CA 91356 (213) 343-4511 Michigan Socialist Action P.O. Box 4523 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Minneapolis Socialist Acti P.O. Box 14087 Dinkytown Station Minneapolis, MN 55414 New York Socialist Action P.O. Box 20209 Cathedral Finance 693 Columbus Ave New York, NY 10025 of workers now unemployed. brothers and sisters first.
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action waged.