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FREEDOMWAYS FORTH QUARTER 1971

brothers is necessary. A go it alone policy can only lead to disunity, and ineffectiveness. 
3. The main target-racism-has to be identified, and struggle directed against the enemy. The corporation is the enemy, not the union. 

steelworker leaders speak for solidarity 
In another mill employing about 9,00, 60 per cent of the  workers are Black, another 15 per cent are Spanish speaking, and the rest, a variety of European ethic origin or descent. The president of the local steel workers union is an impressive looking Black man of 55,
with 30 years of service in the mill. He declares proudly, ''i am the  president of all union members, not just  Blacks.'' Another outstanding leader of Mexican descent, in this local union who established a sterling reputation in the local as well as in his community, strongly agrees that Blacks and Spanish-speaking workers have to be on the ball to guard their rights but he strongly warns against ''polarization of workers.'' He says, ''The labor movement is not perfect, but its principles of unity, solidarity and brotherhood are tremendous significance. True, some members don't live up to these principles. All the more reason why Chicanos and Black people should press even harder to preserve them.''  The experiences in steel mills in Pittsburgh, Chicago Cleveland and Birmingham verify the report in FREEDOMMWAYS (Second Quarter, 1971) by Carl E. Farris of the experiences of striking steel workers in Georgetown, South Carolina. He describes the victory won by the Black and white union men as a result of their united action and the active support of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Black liberation organizations could gain much if they gave more attention to developing a working relationship with Black unionists in basic industries. 
"Basic Steel" (the aggregate of America's largest steel corporations: U.S. Steel, Bethlehem Steel, Republic Steel, Jones & Laughlin, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, etc.) employs about 560,000 production and maintenance workers. Of these, nearly 30 per cent, or about 165,000 are Black. The corporation's notorious racist employment policy has traditionally enforced brazen discrimination against Black employees. In this, the companies have been aided (and in some mills still are), by phony local "progression and regression charts" designed to exclude Blacks, Chicanos and Puerto Ricans from promotions. These charts (local agreements signed by department superintendents and

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