(Iowa City, Iowa), 1979-06-25

-Pong Hela~ of Arnerl lit equipment free ~ IIId Butler POinted' gOOd - runnlftN 0lIl, II "'6" hlgti .. S a step abO\7e tht vlrlety Pin J)... most famUlar t· ... who were gathered ~ And after tht Stili I dime during which ~ c 1878 Student PubliCitlona Inc. Iowa City's Morning Newspaper Monday, June 25, 1979 proceded to thr8lb challenllers frorn ~ the youths sWarmed champion_ • had Just ~~oa II Striking rare. But Jim,:: Local., disco. accuse'd were eager to leave ptomllsed them a trip ~ electricians Queen tf they played far as anyone in !be of race discrim'ination, could !!ee, they played to halt By NEIL BROWN Ambrose would not identify who the permitted In the bar. Editor doonnan was Saturday night. "A lot of people saw what went on ABOUT HALF of the crowd gathered picketing A local disco discriminated against here," Martin said Saturday night. outside Woodfield's was white, and a ByTOMTUDOR blacks by not allowing them to come Into "They'll be calling the Hwnan Rights nwnber of crowd members said they had Staff Wrlt.r \be bar Saturday night, several citizens Commission. They'll be ringing the little problem getting In the disco. Many have charged. phone off the wall. Maybe we can't get crowd members reported seeing white Strikin& electrical workers have Robert Martin, an Iowa City resident him shut down, but maybe we can." patrons permitted in without iden agreed to stop picketing local con IIld former employee of Woodfield's Martin, a black, said a friend who ttfication. struction areas In order to give other disco, said Saturday night that he will worked at Woodfield's had told him that One patron, Ron Deming, who Is from trade unions a chance to work, a contact the Iowa City Human Rights Ambrose would be requiring three types San Diego but Is In Iowa City for the spokesman for the local union said Commission today and make a complaint of Identification with pictures In order to swnmer, said he saw the commotion The Dally Iowan/John Dan iele Jr. Sunday, get In the bar Saturday night. He said he outside the bar at about 11 p.m. Deming, But a meeting Friday between union that Harry Ambrose, owner of Wood "We just wanted to see 'that staff members that blacks were hurting field's, harrassed blacks atteJflpting to arranged for approximately IS persons, who is white, said he was told about the everybody got treated the same. But representatives and electrical con alleged discrimination from crowd his business or that any policies were enter the bar, by requiring three types of 10 of whom he said were white, to meet at whites got by and the blacks got stop directed against blacks. tractors Involved in local projects failed personal identification with pictures. Woodfield's with the necessary Iden· members and decided to see if he could ped," Martin said. to produce an agreement or any new get Into the bar. "I'd never state that. It's Illegal," offers. Iowa City police were summoned to tification and attempt to get In the bar. Ambrose said. "What I said was that we Woodfields' at approximately 10: 30 "The guy (doonnan) didn't ask me for STEVE ANDERSON, a former Michael Cain, Iowa City strike captain an ID, but I offered it. I said, 'Don't you can't 'play too much heavy black music Saturday night, after a large crowd MARTIN SAID he arrived at Wood Woodflelds' employee, said he quit within because It turns off the whites and they for the Cedar Rapids-based Local 405 of 9:15 want to see an ID,' and he said to me, 'I'd the International JJrotherhood of Elec gathered in front of the disco's entrance. field's at about p.m. Saturday. A the last month beea use of policies there, get uspet. And it's just as bad to play too Many of those In the crowd of about 50 personal friend and former employee of testify before a grand jury that you're which he said were "directed against trical Workers, said Instead of con 21,' " Deming said. much rock and roll beea use it turns off charged that the Woodfield's Ambrose's, Martin was permitted to blacks. " the blacks. So how do you find a happy struction projects, the union will picket management required the three IDs enter without identification. But another He said Ambrose openly told his staff medlwn?" the shops of two local electrical con from blacks but let in nearly ali whites black, who accompanied Martin, was not FIVE WHITE persons, ali of whom that "blacks were bad for business" and tractors, O'Brien Electrical Contractors, permitted to enter even though he said they were only 17 years old, said Martin said he was aware that Inc. and Gerard Electric, Inc. with little or no Identification. wanted to discourage them from coming Ambrose was trying to discourage black produced six different types of personal they were permitted In the bar without the bar. Among the pcjlicies, Anderson Cain said the local union memberahlp Identification. showing any Identification. customers. He said that was not the basis Is "having a special meeting Monday" THE POLICE, summoned by said, was a hat code, In which no hats for his complaint. Ambrose, took no action, and there was "They (the Woodfield's doormen) told Another white patron, Barb Jlllmson of were permitted In the disco. He also said before union representatives meet again no violence. him that they couldn't read the date on Iowa City, said she had no problem Ambrose had decided to play music that "If he wants to change the place, play Tuesday with representatives of the Ambrose said Sunday that he was one of the picture IDs. It didn't make any getting Into the bar. "The bouncers were would not appeal to blacks. different music or whatever, that's fine . National Electrical Contractors attempting a hardllne crackdown on difference that he had six IDs." Martin very considerate to me," she SIlid. "I quit because the hat code was But if he's going to treat people dif Association. allowing minors In the bar. "I feel that I said. "When I went In there were no blacks in directed against black people. He felt ferently, that's not morally right. That's .in't discriminating," he said. "W~'re Another black, who serves ,as a state there." that blacks were hurting his business, not right, period," Martin said. GLENN BOUTELLE, projects going to crack down on minors. I told my probation officer and did not want to be Some witnesses reported that a black and he didn't want them In there any "All we're going to do is wait and see manager for UI Construction Services, doorman to get whatever identification identified, also was able to produce six man, 47 years old, was not permitted in longer," Anderson said. what happens. We're going to fight it said that if no pickets were out Monday was necessary. Some white people were IDs, including current and expired because he did not have three picture based on the legal situation," Martin morning, he would expect the other turned away and some black people were drivers licenses and a job card indicating IDs, while the white woman he was with AMBROSE denied ever telling any said. trades to work at UI projects. turned away." that he is a probation officer, but was not was permitted In with just one ID. But, he said, the remodeling project at UI football coach Hayden Fry's office is In trouble even if the other trade unions Though opposed, distributors Truckers, motorists resume work. "If they (the electricians) don't get back this week, that project (Fry's of fice ) is In jeopardy," Boutelle said. want to make bottle' bill work confront Pa. police Boutelle added, "Hayden needs the project by August 1," and the work of By LIZ MILLER work," said William Fairchild of Fair "the law must be used to advantage," he LEVITIOWN, Pa. (UPI) - Police tersection. lt ended around 3 a.m. sian Wrlt.r child's Fine Foods in Iowa City, but he said. electricians is essential at this point. armed with riot gear Sunday night Sunday when officers In riot gear Boutelle also said the LIndquist Center said the bottle bill has caused an "in "The bottle bill may not be the best arrested 37 people in a second night and armed with police dogs. and convenience. " law, but it is the law," said Gary Saffitz n project Is a bout eight months behind Though opposed to the new Iowa bottle of' violent confrontations with nightsticks charged rock and bottie schedule. "At Lindquist we're hurting bill, beer and soft drink retailers and of the Can Manufacturers Institute based protesters angry over gasoline throwing members of the crowd who distributors are anxious to create a THE INCREASED expense of handling In Washington, D.C. regardless of the strike," he said. shortages. ignored orders to disperse. Both sides said that no new offers were workable, economical system to handle returnables will be passed to the con Police said six police officers and At least one group of truckers returnable containers when the bill goes sumer, he said. Some distributors have UE SAID he Is impressed by Iowa's made at Friday's meeting. A federal seven other people needed hospital called for an end to the strike but negotiator who sat 'in on the meeting into effect July 1.

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