Stalemate in Special Legislative Session
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'Ap4prentice#p Enolmet Increase 30% - ,n'ey1,3ews A thirty percent increase in the number of youth entering appren- ticeship tramiing in California in- dustry was reported this week by Ernest B. Webb, Director of the State Department of Industrial Re- lations. He also disclosed that he has ap- THOS. L. PITYS Published by California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO pealed to U. S. Secretary of Labor Executive ,T Willard Wirtz to initiate action at Secretary-Treasurer I the Federal level to encourage more apprenticeslip opportunities in three areas of federal spending, P.L 78 Extension Bill Headed for Senate Floor; Renewed "action which would have a signifi- cant and immediate impact in cre- Battle Over Bracero Program Anticipated ating more training openings for Despite the refusal of the House of Representatives in May to extend minority youth." Publie Law 78 beyond its December 31, 1963 expiration date, the Agri- Webb said 11,139 new appren- culture Committee of the U.S. Senate this week approved a straight one- tices were registered by the Divi- year continuation of the bracero program. sion of Apprenticeship Standards The Senate measure is expected to be reported to the floor almost over ithe fiscal year just ended, a immediately where labor and lib- gain of about 2,600 over the aver- eral forces are girding for battle Treasurer Thos. L. Pitts last Fn- age for each of the past two fiscal against agribusiness groups seek- day directed a strong letter to Cali- years. ing renewal of the much abused fornia Senators Thomas H. Kuchel The increase was noted in a re- farm labor program. and Clair Engle, expressing "deep port on the results of June Ap- The Senate Committee's acition concern" over the impending action prenticeship Month, during which was reported to the Federation this 'by the Senate Aiculture Commit- a reicord 1,725 new apprentices Wednesday by Congressman Jeffrey tee. were placed in California industry. Cohelan, (D., Alameda County), who "Tis (the bracero program) i a This compares to a previous high led the battle in the House to block matter that has aroused. not only Of :1,577 during June, 1959. Last a 2-year extension bill in May. Co- the labor movement," Pitts de- year, 1,233 new apprentices were helan indicated that while the dcared, "but also many citizens and registered as a result of June ap- House opposition forc were alert religious groups throughout the prenticeship -promotional activity, to the developing situation, an all- state and nation." Webb said. out effort wias necessary on the The state labor leader pointed A steady increase in the number Senate floor to prevent revival of out that the House action to ter- of active apprentices has ibeen re- the Rouse-defeated- legislation. minate PPublic Law 78 "miTrored flected -over the past ten years, he In anticdpation of the Senate broad public revulsion over the un- (Continued on Page 4) move, state AFLICIO Secretary- precedented indignities in agribusi- ness' lalbor - maniagement relation- shlips ibred 'by this 'temporary' pro- Budget-Tax Hassle Threatens gram since 1951." Pitts reminded Kuchel and Engle Stalemate In Special Legislative Session of the numerous injuries and in- A stalemate in the Senate involving Governor Brown's supplemental (Continued on page 2) budget recommendations and features of his revenue acceleration pro- gram has dimmed hopes for quick adjournment of the special session of the state Legislature. oioperation Urged on Twelve Republican state Senators are stading fast in a move to block twothirds approval of the Gover- th bug bil i t Inion Labor Census nor's supplemenlltal b)udget, desitte bank and corporation bill passes." The State Department of Industrial Senate action taken this Tuesday Relationa has started its 68th annual FLASH-The tax bill census cif labor unions. approving Brown's $147 million controversial union official who receives the revenuerevenueprogramrogram -nminus t-hethe in-m- Senate(SB 5-O'Sullivan),on Tuesday whichby a closepassed22.14the OrganinEveryed Labor Questionnaire is being come tax the Governor this urged by Director Ernest B. Webb to withholding proposal, but vote, was sent -to Ie and return it as soon as pos- including (the Republiean-opposed Tuesday by the Assembly along with sible. Tihe Questionnaire was mailed July measure to -speed up the colection portions of Brown's tax program de- 1 by thie Division of Labor Statistics and of bank and corporation francise sivned to speed up insurance tax col- ResarcEh to more than 3,600 union lo- lections. A new effort will be made on cals thrcIughout California. tues,taxes. Monday by Brown's supporters in the The Questionnaire furnishes basic in- Senator John F. McCarthy ?f Senate to break the budget deadlock. formatio'n on the strength of Califoria's Marm iCounty, minority leader m labor -eovement, and the results are sun-m the upper house, has threatened on Governor Brown 1lTIT DUD dIeach year in the Division's an- behalf of the Republicans that (Continued on >aoe 5IL LIBRAR ert, "Union Labor in California." P.L. 78 Extension Bill Headed For Senate Floor (Continued from Page 1) to icomprehend the short-term ef- Federation testimony before the dignities inflicted upon braeeros fect upon availability of workers in Department of Labor, which Pitts and domestic farm workers alike. any labor market when wages, said "accurately portray the ter- Nothing, he said, focuses the net result more tersely than ithe recent fringe ibenefits and employment rible price that the bracero pro- words of the California Welfare security become depressed in com- gram has exacted from the families Study Commission: parison wi;th competing industries." of Cialifornia's agricultural work- "California's almost 150,000 In each of these areas, it was ers." farm laborers and their families pointed out that "irrefutable evi- Pitts appealed to Kuchel and En- are the 'one occupational group dence is at hand demonstrating that gle to "do everything in your pow- in California so deeply locked in major forward strides are quite er at this time to prevent a resur- poverty that it is set off from practical, with beneficial results rection of the bracero program." all others.' " for growers as well as their em- Local labor movements have also Pitts added: ployees in terms of enlarging and been alerted by the Federation "This remains the situation in stabilizing the state's domestic la- concerning the incipient battle on 1963 despite recent administrative bor forice while upgrading and di- the Senate floor. Wires and com- efforts to give some semblance of versifying its skill content." munications to Kuchel and Engle meaning to the law's purported Kuchel and Engle were for- are being urged in opposition to guarantees against any adverse ef- warded two documents containing any extension of P.L. 78. fecits upon domestic workers' wages, working conditions, and em- ployment opportunities. The con- tinuation of the lopsided bargain- ing relationships nurtured by a 'Move Together,' Meany Urges NAACP government - guaranteed abundance AFL-CIO Pres. George Meany, in a message to the recen,t con- of cheap foreign agricultural labor, vention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored enjoying tenure in this country People, reiterated ithe federation's call for a strong fair employ- only at the whim of the employer, ment practices law covering boith management and lalbor. would constitute a shameful retreat Meany noted that the federal government is now taking steps from the House's courageous initia- long urged by the AFL-CIO "to put the force of law behind the tive toward removing an ugly blot labor movement's own fight against discrimination." from America's image at home and "These are welcome steps," he declared, "but they must quickly abroad." be reinforced by a federal equal employment opportunities law In answer to grower assertions that applies to all enterprises engaged in commerce, and to all that domestic workers are not avail- unions as well." able, Pitts quoted a recent state- ment by !State Senator Albert S. Meany recalled that in his message to last year's NAACP gather- Rodda as follows: ing, he had predicted that the nation stood "on the threshold of "Braceros protect management, a full and final breakthrough to the achievement of truly equal rights and management, therefore, is for all citizens-true equality for every American to develop his own not required or forced to ration- talents to the utmost, in the direction he freely chooses." alize its employment of labor. This prediction, he observed, has 'been "dramatically supported" Supply and demand cease to by events of the past 12 months. While there has been "ugly strife" operate in the normal sense and in some parts of the South, he noted, there has also ibeen, "in shining the market fails to act as a de- contrast," a peaceful revolution in other areas, such as Durham, terminant of the price for labor. Charlotte, Atlanta, Clemson University, and in norithern communi- An equivalent situation from the ties which have moved to, correct "'injustices that were previously farmers' point of view would be ignored." to have a 'supplemental' supply Many barriers remain to be overcome in achieving full equality, of Mexican strawberries hanging Meany said, and not the leas-t of them is the national shortage of over each day's strawberry mar- jobs, "quite apart from racial considerations." ket. Perhaps, in the long run, "If equal opportunity is to be meaningful," he said, "there must there might not be any but sup- also 'be enough