Detroit Edison workers hit company racism, sexism
By Kris
Hamel
Detroit
Some 200 workers representing many unions came together with
members of the National Organization for Women here Aug. 21 for
a forum called "Protect Your Rights 2000: Why We Fight for
Workplace Justice."
Detroit Edison workers--who are part of a class-action
lawsuit against the corporation for widespread racist, sexist,
and age-discriminatory practices--hosted the event. Detroit
Edison has been the target of five class-action lawsuits in the
past 26 years.
African American plaintiffs' attorney Carl Edwards opened
the forum. "This struggle will not be won in the courts alone,"
he said. "It will be won by embracing other struggles, by
joining together under principle to fight for a better life for
all workers."
Edwards described how "three [leadership] regimes at Detroit
Edison in over 25 years have not owned up to the widespread
cultural problem of discrimination" at the company. He noted
that as early as 1973 the courts made what Edwards called a
"historical decision" against Edison.
Then, in Stamps vs. Edison, Judge Damon Keith cited the
company for having "a terrible, terrible reputation in this
community, with overwhelming evidence that [Edison] practices
the most vile forms of racism and discrimination, and is in
denial about its problems."
NOW President Patricia Ireland gave a keynote speech lauding
the Edison workers in their fight against racism and sexism.
She proclaimed Detroit Edison the "winner" of the national
"Merchant of Shame" award for its intransigent corporate
culture of sexism and racism.
Worker Cynthia Page gave a moving overview of her 25 years
facing down sexist and racist practices at Detroit Edison. The
room was silent as she recounted one example after another:
"Supervisors talked about `women on the rag,' read X-rated
books while in my presence, and when I complained I was told,
`Don't listen to Cindy, she's just going through menopause.' .
. .
"While I was in training, many of the men refused to train
me, and one man who would help me only did so after belittling
me first by treating me like I was stupid. He was very
accommodating to his male co-workers, and was later promoted to
foreman.
"I was told, `Women should be home, barefoot and pregnant.'
I heard over and over how the dispatcher job was going downhill
because they were hiring women and Blacks in the job. In recent
years, women and Black men have been the only new employees
hired into the Detroit division, which encompasses one-third of
the Edison dispatching jobs. Since this hiring practice began,
Edison has lowered the pay scale for new dispatchers.
"Racial remarks which offended and embarrassed me were
heavily used in the office. Supervisors told me they did not
want any women or Blacks on their shift. They discussed and
supported ex-KKK leader David Duke for president."
Other workers in the Edison lawsuit also spoke. So did
workers representing several other labor and community
struggles in Detroit.
Ameritech workers told of their struggle against the phone
giant. Detroit city workers in UAW Local 2334 described the
impasse in their contract negotiations and warned of a possible
strike by workers in the water department. State of Michigan
employees participated, as did representatives from Students
Organized for Labor and Equality at the University of
Michigan.
Workers locked out from the Detroit News and Free Press were
on the platform, as well as UAW Local 417 President Dan
McCarthy, who is leading a strike at A. G. Simpson. WDIV
Channel 4 [NBC affiliate] workers, and speakers from the
Michigan Tradeswomen Association and the National Welfare
Rights Organizing Union, lent their solidarity as well.
Mike Zielinski, a Steel Workers organizer, gave a fiery talk
on the Newport News shipbuilding strike, which he characterized
as a victorious struggle against both racism and the
Pentagon.
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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