L.
}
U. . enefits LIera iz,ation I ll'e s' oPass,' en, o ssemblyFl cor
Maximum weekly unemploy- The bill, ABN by Assembly- AFL-CIO reimiinded commttoee the, base
ment com-pensation benefits for
California workers would rs
from $104 -to $120 in 1980, go up to
S130 in 1981 and to $140 in 1982
under 'termns of a bill-ehompassF
ing the California AFL-CIO U. I. to 4 and sent to the floor.
liberalization programin the cur- This inc'r"t* is overduo, the
rent legislative sessi"on. oxecutive head of the Calihrnia
,,j Jllll1A1
le 51
Vdl. 22-No. 25
D>INA BEAUMONT
CWA Sresses
Jo Pressures
In Oservance
Dina G.
Beaumont, District 11
vice president for the Communumea-
'hsWorkers ofAerlca:i0W-!
n#:of the California: Iiho
of the- 1979 -Job Pressurs I)ay on-
.June 15.
The' Communications Workers
of America, representing over
600,000 'members Nationwide, de-
clared June 1S "National Job
Pressures Day."
"Job pressures affect millions of
workers all over America, taking
a toll on both the workers and
their families," Beaumont de-
clared. "The quali'ty of working
life in America today is not what
it should be, or could be, and one
of the major factors standing in
the way is job presures. Job pres-
sures can be defined in many
ways; 'a set of circumstances that
drive any person beyond their
capability or capacity,' or 'any
conditions caused by external in-
fluence, directly or indirectly, that
makes any person react.' Job pres-
sures haie' existed for years a'nd
they affect workers everywhere,
whether in the public or pri'vate
sector. And those pressures are
growinlg.
W'Within the thpm
joba pressures are appi-;'d through
indus"r
oppressive overtime, punitive at-
(Continued on Page 2)
Bad Minimum Wvage.- Bill' Stalls
In Assembly WVays and Means
After con-siderable debate and a
prlmiary vote, the Assembly
Ways and Means Committhe on
Friday voted 11 to 9 to reconsider
its -"do pass" recommendation of
AB l0S7.
Upon the authlor's recommenda-
tion, the bill was made a "two
year bill" which prevents it be-
coming law this year but means
it may be taken up in the 1980
session.
The California Labore Federa-
tion led opposition to AS ION7, au-
thiored by Assemblyman Jim Ellis
(R) of. San Diego. The rneasure
would,; if passed, handcuff fth
325 present to $900 estima"ted' '$2.4'6 billion the
year at at! by
man Alister McAlister (D>San members; Even when California in 1980, to eight weeks of work end of 1979 and. $2.78 bililon by the
Jose), moved a big step toward raises ifts maximum to S12 next or $1,100 in i981 and to $1,26 or end 'of 1980 with AS 325 in'.t^-
passage Friday when it was aF- year, John F. Hnn;nn pointed -eight weeks of work the year after.
Accord'ing to the latest av
proved by the Assembly Ways and out, at least 22 statos will still that. statistIcs from the U. S. I fle
Means Committee, on- a vote of 11 haw* higher bentfit levls4.' I"Thfe UJneimployment Insu'rance ment of Labor, Californi a le
Tandem with the -benefit in- fund in Ca'lifomia - is more than has the highes-t U. I. fund x
creases the bill will raise eligi- fiscally sound," the Federation as a percentage of total wi
bility requirements, from S750 in leader said. "The fund will be at (Continuid on Psg 3)
Ai
| ~~~~~~Jugn
a 22, 1979
OverrulesBagining |Jo c
Over the vigorous opposition of "Recenf amendments fo fhe members, have been historically
the California AFL-CIO and its bill,,', it stated,r "provide for hiring decided through the collective bar^
affected affiliate's, G o v, e r n o r of part -time employees, con- gaining process.
Brown's transporta'tion bill, Sen- fracting out fransit authorify "4The bill nullifies collective
ate Bill 620,, was sent from As- fransportation work and fixing bargaining freedom of California
sembly Ways and Means on June -figures' on the. size of w o r k unions and sets a disastrous prec-
22 for a vote on the floor of that erews."01 edent," the State AFL-CIO empha-
house by a unanimous vote. All these decisions, the Federa- sized. "Anti-union language must
Jim Evans, state legislative di- tion reminded t h e committee be removed. "
rector' 'of the United Transport-a--
tion Union, claims SS 620 as writ-
tein would givre management a
weapon for prying concessions
from unions that it has only been
partially successful in obtaining
thrugh bargaining.
He questioned the constitution-
ality of -provisions which would
circumnntl bargaining agr,-
-emen ly the throat of wvhhobld
-in$" stab fund hat transt sys.
Federat'io'n. said, "The California
To Voei ouse AFL-CIO joins writh transit work-
-ers, unions throughout-the state In
The California Labor Federa- urgin a no vote against SB 620
.tion's pr og r am for increasing as presently written."'
wekly maximum benefits under
state. disability insurance moved 0 0
on to the Assembly action file.
Friday with a "do pass"' recom-
mendation by the Assembly Ways
and Means Committee..
AS M8 is being carried by As-
sennblywoman Leona Egeland (D-
San Jose) and would increase the California's community college both as faculty members and as b>argining process,, we will have
(Continued on Page 2) -teachers are turning more and faculty representatives," Dr. Hy anow avenue not only to secure
more to the AFI=IO California Weintraub,, who served as election Moro oquitablel Wges, houJrs arsl
Federation of Tea'chers for ef- campaign coordinator, said.
D. 1. Tax Rebate' fective collective bargaining Phyllis Basile, p'resident Local
working conditions, but also to
Measure Advances resentation, according to the rep- re- 1911 at the Oran'ge Coast Com-
assure that the public through the-
faculty is gettirng maximum qual'
AB 298 by Assemblyman Alister sults of bargainig e'lections held munity College, commented on ity for their oducational nvwst
McAlister (D-San Jose) was ap- during the 1979-80 school year. the union victory saying: ment.,"
-proved and sent. to the Assembly. With two recent election trie #W* vtow the elodion r*sults California community colleges
floor Friday by the Ways and umphs at the Orange-Coast Com- as an overwhelming. mandate now represented by affiliates of
Means Committee. It will provide, munity College and the Glendale Fron the faculty to pursue our the CFT include:
if passed, for a refundable credit Community College, affiliates of ffrs to bring fiscal outty to
w budset Practics of the dis. Orange Coast; Palo Vierde; Loss
in the amount of 80 percent of the American Federation- of Rios, State Cenlter in Fresno;
w o r k e r contributions withheld. Teachers have now won four out hldt administration. Through the Glendale; Peralta,, San Francis-
from a taxpayer in the 1979 tax of the Six community college elec- co; Marin; El Camino; Ventura;
year and paid into the Unemploy-
ment Compensation Disability In Glendale 0edleon, June 6,
the Fed l lgbl Compton; Los Angeles Commu-
nity Colleges;' and San Diego
Fund. The credit cannot exceed the GJendale ccFT
$91 in any case. CTA unit by of in8 101.
a vote -the~
to measure rse Community College Adult Educa.
tion.
And In the Orano Coast olc s In a'dition, Me CFT rprh
tioni the Orange C"st CCFT SS m ly7 t .that local campaigns to de o ! §fy
existing CTA units. in kinergar.
of 402 to .4.. On June 18, the Statie Assembly
The latest vrictories mean that passed -and sent to. the Senate by
ton through 2th grade school dis-
trikls ga'nod "tremPnous mo-
state Industrial Welfare Commis- community college locals affiliat. a 76 to 0 vote AS 757, a California mentum"" as a result of v'ktories
sion in fixing.a. minimum wage ed with the American Federation AFL-CIO sponsored measure by at th Gi lroy U nifited School D;o'
for California by pro'viding that of Teachers are now the excl'usive Assemblyman Richard Alator're trict in Santa Clara Coun'y, the
this figure could not exceed the bargaining agent in 13 districts O(-L.A.). Ojai UInifile School District in.
federaf mini'mum. representing -more than 13,000 fac- TRhe bill provides that a person Ventura County 'ancl in the Now.
".Cafifornia had a minimurm ulty membsers. :otherwise eligible to receive un- port-Mesa Unified School Districts
wage. law for 22 years before a
federal law was -established- in
JimGonale, pesientof
JmGle zalesCF, presdented
n thevc employment
f he
tion
disability compensa-
shall not be disqualified from
in Orange County when hew CTA,
was voted out and the AFT. afRllt
1938," California A-FLCO Execu- tory in Glendale to "several years receiving such benefits because. of at w'as voted i1n.
tive Officer Jack Haanning pointEd of hard work by a great many being disqualified 'from' receiving
out. "Since 1938, California has people committed to the principle-s unamployment.compensation ben-- These upset victories we're cred-
had a higher rate in 23 years'. low- of the CFT-AFT and local auton. efits during a trade dispute.. ited to the. AFT's- record of exper-
er in seven years, and the same omy.t tise at -the . bargaining table,
- Present law disqualifies an in- teacher unity and creditable local
rate in' 12 years. "On* of the decisive factorsAin dividual from gett-ing D.I. ben''
"We ned the flexibility to raise the Glendale election was the tre- fits when that indivilual has been leadership by Ojai President Bob
the Califor.nib minimum -wage mendous faculty respecet that the disqualified from rciigUI Heller, Gilroy President Allen
(Continued o'nPaoe 3) GCCFT -local leadership enjoys benefits during a trade dispute. Wisotsky and Newport-Mesa Pres-
ident Paul Jordan.
 CWA Sresses
Jo Pressures
- n Oservance
(Continued f rom Page 1)
tendance programs, violation of
sonority rights, and management's
failure to f o I I o w contractual
agreements. It's a real problom in
human relations, and management
just doesn't seem to understand
that we are people, not machines.
"That is why our Union's Exec-
utive Board set June 15 as 'Na-
tional Job Pressures Day,' so that
the public could become more
aware of the problem. Ppblic un-
derstanding, sympathy and sup-
port are very important to us."
Emphasizing t h e observance,
the slogan "We are people,, not
machines" was the theme for ral-
lies and other demonstrations con-r
ducted by various CWA locals in
the state in the past week.
The protest reflects mounting
concern about the long-term de-
humanizing impact of automation
and computerization on the lives
of workers and their families, in-
cluding those of the expanding
ranks of white-collar office work-
ers as well as blue-collar workers
on assembly lines.
A recent national survey done
for the U.S. Labor Department
showed a dramatic decline in job
satisfaction, especially a m o n g
whitesollar workers, in recent
years.
Dissatisfaction stems not only
from changes in work but also
from the makeup of the work
force, with its increasing mem-
bers of better-educated workers,
young people, women and minor-
ities, the CWA contends.
C WA International President
Glen Watts wrote in a recent arti-
cle for the AFIrCIO Industrial Un-
ion Department:
"Although white-collar workers
:)ieyto work in cleaner sur-
roundings thanteir coworkers
in the factorty- perhaps even with
a rug on the floor and drapes on
the window-they often find them-
selves reduced by automation to
tasks that are just as monotonous.
"In a modern telephone compa-
ny where an electronic switching
system set the pace, insult is add-
ed to injury when the computer
itself reports at regular intervals
on your performance and tells you
what you are doing -as if you
don't know. Meanwhile, super-
visors are pacing and monitoring
and criticizing and correcting. The
pressure is on, all the time,
around the clock, and the ideal of
doing a good job gets buried under
the motto: 'Quantity, not qual-
ity.' Ps
Under such a system. Watts
Trades
added, "operators lower their per- 2.75 million workers, has called
formance index when thev take
just three seconds to be polite." for
of polygraphs
Courtesy is a casualty, he said, lie detectors" by
along with workers' p\hysilcal and cording to word from
mental health-,
Harbrant,
.As partial answers to.the prob- the department.
lem, Watts suggested more worker
involvement in decisions affecting detector"
how their jobs are done, more use by commercial polygraph firms..
of flexible work periods and "hu. One-fifth of the nation's major
man impact studies," similar tc
environ'mental impact studies be- corporations
fore technological advances are
broulght to the workplace.
-U.S*.Women Union
Me s lncreasing
The Wall Street JourrLal report,
that women are becoming increas
ip-gly influential in the U. S. labol
movemitent ~~atrboth local and na
tiona levels because women un
ion memb;ers'are more numerou
and active- than ever before.
Female unionists now total 4.~
million -or 25% -of unioi
membership, an increase of 1.
million since 1956. Women hav,
accounted for more than 50% c
the growth in union mernbershi~
over the last ten years.
Page 2
,L'e£iSl(lti-.vep Resolutiont Petidls
0 f
State's
GSA Will Not Buy , ImpToVoeinHouse
J.IJat9n Prouct i
David E. Jaiissen, director of
the California State Department
of General Services, has issued
a decision that the state shall not
purchase products of the J. P.
Stevens te xt i le manufacturing
corporation on the basis that the
firm is not a "responsible bid-
der" as required by the depart-
ment's regulations.
A spokesman for the GSA this
week confirrned the action had
been taken on the basis of Ste-
vens' frequent nd flagrant vio-
lations of the Nbional Labor Re-
I
*~Tr-ansit Union Appeals to
Brown -to Stop SB 620
(Continued from Page 1)
tialIlly disastrous legislation now
peinding before the Stat'e Legisla-
turre.
*
''The legislation is SB 620, intro-
duiLced by Senator James Mills of
SaiLn Diego, and its companion bill,
AEan Walter M. Ingalls of'River tiosaver thelast
le.
is inconceivable that they could be
"The United Transportation Un- removed by the swipe of a pen.
iorn delegates are especially op-
pO)sed to Sections 99315 and 99318.5 to laave the matter of rules an'd
of SS 620. working conditions on the 'rail-
"This legislation would have roads and bus systems up to the
eaitastrophic effects on the work- time-honored method of collective
injg agreements of bus and rail bargaining."
UFW Strike
Catholic Bishops Cal for
Resumption of Bargaining
19, Bishops
Oni June the Catholic bishops
of Cdalifornia called for agricul-
turalI employers to "immediately"
retuirn to the bargaining table with
the United Farm Workers Union
in thie present drawn-out labor dis-
pute !between the UFW and the
grom Arers.
l.N call
Nle upon both parties to re-
turn at once to the bargaining
tablbe. It is our understanding that
signiificant progress h as b e en
madle in reaching a full negotiated
agreeement," said the bishops'
statA,ement.
Hel Is Sough to Bock
Emmloyers' Detector
Lie retail
the country utilize
The AFIrCIO Food& Beverage
Department, representing
help in efforts to ban the use
and "other phony
employers, ac-
Robert F.
secretary-treasurer of
In 1977 as many as 400,000 "lie
tests were administered
and over half the
TV Imports Result in
Heavy U.S. Job Loss
to the U. S. Interna-
According
tional Trade Commission, total
employment in the U. S. color tel-
evision industry was nearly 42,000
in 1972. By 1977 this had fallen
to some 29,000, a five-year de-
cline of 30%-
Department of Labor says that
for every 1,100 jobs in plants
producing TVt receivers, there are
nearly 1,500 jobs in supplying
plants and other industries. On
this basis, between 35,000 and
40,000 U. S. jobs were lost in five
years to foreign imports in this
industry.
Disablt
I Benefit
rovements
ot
lations Act in its long-standing. Meanwhile,_ State Senator Bill
.;t~(Coatne tom Page 1)
Yeekly. 1:. maximum from $146
possible SW.
dispute with the Amalgamated Greene (D-L.A.) has introduced Presenfl.yrthere is a seven-day
Clothing & Textile Workers Un- Senate Concurrent Resolution 37' vaiting period, where the claim-
ion, AFL-CIO. to have the legislature tige all knt is not hospitalized, during
The GSA action is based on an state, county and municipaI a,gen- which no compensation is pa'id.
opinion issued in 1954 by then- cies in California to "determine kB M8 provides that where the
Attorney G-neral Edmund G. whether J. P. Stevens and Co., lisability exceeds 49 days com-
(pat) Brown. Inc., is in compliance with fed- pensation would be paid retroac-
Stevens has a Ionq history of eral, state and local statutes and tively for that week.
violating the leqal rights of em- labor regulations" and if found Now D. l. benefits can extend
ployees to bargain collectively. to be in non-compliance, would for a maximum of 26 weeks. Un-
The firm manufactures -shoots, urge that all such agencies stop der AB 780 this would be in-
towels, fabrics, carpeting and buying the products of the Ste- creased to 39 weeks.
other textile products under a vens corporation. Beside the monetary improve-
variety of trade names. Greene's resolution cites J. P. ment in D.I., the Egeland bill
Stevens as "the natlon's No. I would waive Mev waiting period
m labor law outlaw," pointing out during each disability benefit pe-
that the NI.RB has found the
company guilty of violating the
NLRA in 16 separate decisions
riod where no disability benefits
are payable if the claimant is
and'has fined it over $1,300,000. disabled for more than 49 days.
workers in California. lt would In addition, SCR 37 declares
cut the earnings of bus and rail
workers in half. It would destroy
"J. P. Stevens has been found
guilty of contempt of court three U..,D. " asual
wage guarantees and stress the
of part-time workers. It would
~~~~~~~use
also create a safety hazard by re-
times, making them, in the words
of the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd
Circuit, 'the most notorious re-
Earnings Bls
moving a brakeman from trains.
"These w o r k i n g agreements
cidivist in the f i e I d of labor
law."'
According to SCR 37, textile "4Do
Sent
pass"
to Flor
recommendations
thalfgcnegtur.ia-
workers in Stevens plants work
for wages 33 percent below the
were given on Friday to two Cali-
fornia AFIxCIO bills carried by
national average wage. Assemblyman Richard Alatorre
On Monday, the American Jew- (D-L.A.) and they now go to the
"The proper course of action is
ish Congress announced it has Assembly floor for passage to the
joined the national boycott of State Senate.
the J. P. Stevens textile firm These are AB 758 and AS MS.
becaulse of the company's refusal The former will eliminate an
to permit its workers to form a
union without aggressive employ- earnings limitation on unemploy-
ment disability b?nefits. Present-
er harassment.
"'Despite numerous condemna. ly, the maximum amount of dis-
tions by federal courts and ad- ability payments payable during
any one belnefit period is 26 times
ministrative a'encies, J. P. Ste-
vens and Company has continued
to conduct its operations so as
the person's weekly benefit mount,
provided thatt the amount does not
to prevent the unionization of its
work force," the Jewish human
exceed one-half the total wages
paid the individual during his base
period. It is -this limit which
The called for "intense rights groups' organization said. would be removed by AB 7S8.
good-faith negotiations immediate- The AJC joins a growing num-
ly . . . to lessen the danger" of ber of religious and civic groups, AS 7S9 deals with unemploy,-
further violence "and to bring including the National Council of ment insurance eligibility and will
peace to California's fields." Churches, the NAACP, the Cen- delete the requirement that the
The Catholic leaders played a tral Conference of American Rab- wages payable to an individual be
major role in negotiations between bis, the General Assembly of the less than his w e e k I y benefit
the UFW and growers prior to en- IJnited Presbyterian Church, the amount in order to be considered
actment of the California Agricul- National Organization of Women 66un-amployed.'
tural Labor Relations Act in 1975. and others in supporting organ- Present law provides an individ-
The bishops deClared that if a ized labor's boycott of Stevens' ual is "funemployed," among other
"third party" to assist in thenego- products. things, in a week of less than
tiations of the current disputes is full-time work or in any week
appropriate, "We stand ready to I during which the individual per-
forms full-time work for five days
offer our assistance." ERA Backed by as a juror or a subpoenaed wit-
Air Traffic
Controllers
ness if the wages payable are less
than his weekly benefit amount.
In addition, existing law pro-
Use
The Professional Air Traffic
Controllers at their annual con-
vides that an individual eligible
for unemployment compensation
stores in benefits shall be paid an amount
lie detectors. vention in Miami Beach, Fla.,
Harbrant points out that "these adopted a resolution to "support
equal to his weekly ben?fit less
the amount of wages in excess of
machines are so inaccurate thalt it the Equal Rights Amendment" to
can be truly said that lie detectors the U.S. constitution and the rati-
I
$21 payable for services rendered
during that week.I
lie. A U.S. Army study showedI fication movement in behalf of
AS 759 provides that the bene-
that ploygraph -machines, under the amendment. fit shall, instead, be equal to the
ideal conditions, are no more ac- The delegates, representing
curate than an expnerienced inter- some 16,000ERA air traffic controllers, weekly benefit amount less the
described as "a matter of amount of wages in excess of $25
viewer."' or 25 percent of the weekly bene-
Some employers have used such civil liberties- of real concern to
PATCO members." fit amount of the claimant, which-
machines to pry into their employ- allThe convention heard an ad- ever is greater.
ees' private lives with questions dress
concerning personal finances, poli- Mo.), whoRep.
by William Clay (D-
ties and other private matters. charged that "public U.S. Poverty Level
employees are the scapegoats of
"With prurient questions, forced our society in the 1970s."
confessions, and on-the-spot fir-
Income Figure Up
According to the U. S. Census
ings, lie detectors are used as a
psychological rubber hose to in- by lie detectorshow tests to show the Bureau, the poverty level income
in this country for a city-dwell'ing
timidate employees," Harbrant Congress just " terrible these
declared. machines are. family of four rose from $6,200 an-
Anyone who has had such a bad nually in 1978 to $6,700 this year.
ILegislation to curtail or ban lie For rural families, the poverty
detector tests has been Introduced experience with lie detectors is level has gone from $5,270 last
in Congress. Htearings will prob- asked to write or call the depart- year to S5,700. In 1977, the latest
ably be hold this summer in both ment, telling the storyd and giving year for whi^ch data is -available,
the Senate and the House of Rep- name, address a n telephone 24.7 million-Americans (11.6% of
resentatives. number. Those wishing to help in
this manner contact:
the popul#tion) were living below
"Our department and many the poverty line.
other Wasghington groups can pro- "Lie DZetectow Stories"
vide'the technical and legal testi- Food & Beverage Trade Dept.
AFL-CIO BLS in 1869
mony against lie detectors," Har-
brant said, "but we need stories 81 6 16th St. N.W. The first state bureau of labor
Washington, D.C. 20006 statistics was in Massaehusetts in
of local people who have been
fired, not hired, or otherwise hurt (202) 347 2640 1869.
June 22, 1 979
 PRESS FREEDOM PERILED
News Guild Caills for Curbs
On Giant Media Chains
The Newspaper Guild has ex- substance" to concerns that a to jail or -turning over personal
pressed concern at the growing multi-n a t i o n a I conglomerate notes and revealing confidential
concentration of newspaper own- might acquire a major newspaper sources.
ership in a few giant chains and chain. 'In a related area, the Guild
called on Congress to impose Another resolution urged a new urged legislation that would pro-
legislative curbs. effort to enact a federal law pro- tect everyone, not just the press,
"Domination of the U. S. press tecting the confdientiality of a from p'o l i c e searches without
by fewer and fewer media con- reporter's information and subpoena.
glomerates threatens to stifle the sources. It welcomed the Carter Admin-
very freedom and diversity pro- The board said the need for a istration's support for a law bar-
tected by the First Amendment," federal 1 a w is "acute" in the ring newsroom searches and
the Guild's executive board de- wake of an "alarming train of asked that it be expanded to give
clared. judicial decisions" forcing news- "every American protection
SEEK CEILING people to choose between going against unreasonable search."
It asked Congress to put a
ceiling on the number of news-
papers or total circulation a sin-
gle media company could con-
Bad Minimum Wage Bill Stalls
trol. In Assembly Ways and Means
Such a bill should be drawn up (Continued from Page 1) Mel Levine, Los Angeies; Floyd
CALIFORNIA'S WINNER of the 1979 "Ability Counts" es- with "full consideration" of free-'
when the federal -standard fails Morn; Hayward; Mike Ross, Los
say contest, Lily Chau, receives a copy of the "History of the Ameri- dom of the press guarantees, the to meet the needs of those at the Angeles; John Vasconcellos, San
can Worker" from Harold Russell, chairman of the President's Com- union said. lowest level of the wage scale.: -Jose, and Norman Waters, Lodi,
mittee on the Employment of the Handicapped (at left), and AFL-CIO It asked that consideration be all Democrats.
Vice-President Charles H. Pillard, president of the IBEW, at a lunch- given to limiting acquisitions of On the key vote for reconsidera- Casting negative votes were As-
eon -held in Washington, D.C., by the AFL-CIO to honor state winners. existing newspapers but allowing tion the following Assembly mem- sembly members Gordon Duffy,
Miss Chau, a senior at Cathedral High School in San Francisco, re- chains to establish new newspa- bers voted favorably, supportig Hanford; Jim Ellis, San Diego;
ceived $1S0 in expense money and first class round trip airfare to pers without limit. labor's position: Richard Hayden, C u p e r t i n o;
Washington, D.C., from the California Labor Federation for winning MULTI-NATIONAL Howard Berman, Los Angeles; Charles Imbrecht, Ventura; Wil-
the statewide contest. She was blind hor 10 years and just regained The executive board resolution Peter Chacon, San Diego; Leona liam Leonard, Redlands; Marilyn
her sight last December.' The California AFL-CIO supports the pro- said the current attempt of the Egeland, San Jose; Terry Gaggin, Ryan, Redondo Beach; Stan Sta-
gram each year to help raise public awareness of the capabilities of American Express Co. to take San Bernardino; Gary Hart, Santa them, Redding, and Dave Stirling,
handicapped individuals. over McGraw-Hill lends "chilling Barbara; John Knox, Richmond; Whittier, all Republicans.

U. I. Benefits Liberalization BillGets'Do'Pass,' Sent toAssemblyFlloor

(Continued from Page 1)
the major industrial states of the
nation."
Unemployed workers in Cali-
fornia "desperately need" the
increases contained, in the bill,
Henning contends while making
June 22, 1979
the point these increases "can be
supported without raising employ-
er taxes."",
Fifteen states have higher U. I.
tax rates and 12 have have higher
taxable wage amounts upon which
the employers' tax is based. There
are now 36 states plus the District
of Columbia with higher maxi-
mum weekly benefits than Call-
fornia. A dozen states provide ad-
ditional benefits for dependents of
the unemployed worker.
On the roll call, the following
Assembly m e m be r s voted for
AB 325:
Howard L. Berman (D.L.A.);
Daniel Boatwnight (D-Concord);
Peter Chacon (D-San Diego); Gor-
don Duffy (R-Hanford); Gary K.
Hart (D-Santa Barbara); Richard
Hayden (R-Cupertino); John Knox
(D-Richmond); Mel Levine (D-
L.A.); Floyd Mor- (D-Hayward);
Mike Roos (D LA.); Norman
Waters (D-Lodi).
The following A ssembly mem-
bers voted against the proposal
Jim Ellis (R-San I Mioe); Charles
Imbrecht (R - Veni tura);, William
Leonard (R - Redhknds); Marilyn
Ryan (R-Redondo IBeach).
*. P."age
 Meany Asks'U.S. Asylum.
Be Given Russ christians
AFL - CIO President George
Meany on June 16 appealed to
Secretary of State Cyrus Vance
to instruct the U.S. embassy in
Moscow to grant asylum to seven
Pentecostal Christians who took
refuge in t embassy nearly a
year ago.
In a letter to Vance, Meany
Actors' Equity
Re-Elects Bikel
As President
Members of Actors' Equity re-
elected Theodore Bikel as presi-
dent, and also chose other officers
in a recently concluded mail bal-
lot.
Besides Bikel,- the following also
were re-elected to serve three-
year terms: Barbara Colton, 1st
vice president; Nancy Lynch, 2nd
vice president; Jeanna Belkih,
3rd vice president; Vincent Beck,
.4th vice president; Carl Harms,
recording secretary, and Randy
Phillips, treasurer.
Elected to five-year terms on
the co"uncil, the union's governing
board, were: Susie Duff, Werner
Klemperer, Kevin Daly, Geral-
dine Kay, Paul A. Corman, Ted
Thurston, Bernard Pollock, Arne
Gundersen, Justine Johnston, and
Doug Carfrae.
Marc Jordan was elected to a
two-year term in the Principal
category. and Paul Lipson to a
one-year term. Concillors elected
for five-year terms in the Chorus
category were Jane, Robertson,
Mary Lou Westerfield, and John
McNamara. Andy Hostettler was
elected -to a one-year Chorp;
termn.
j e4,~
complained that U.. S. Ambassa-
dor Malcom Toon -has ignored the
families "and, on more than one
occasion, has prevailed upon U.S.
Senators visiting in Moscow not
to see the Christians or to talk of
their plight."
Text of Meany's letter follows:
I am concerned about the fate
of the seven Pentecostal Chris-.
tians - five members of. the
Vashchenko family and two mem-
bers of- the Chmykhalov family
who have been living in the
American Embasy in Moscow
since June 27, IM.
These good Christian people
whose families have for decades
been seeking to emigrate to the
United States from the Soviet Un-
ion came to seek assistance from
American officials in Moscow.
They sought asylum in the Em-
bassy only after watching 17-year-
old John Vashchenko, who was
unsuccessful in eluding the Soviet
guards o u t s i d e the Embassy,
choked and dragged away. Later'
they learned that John had been
severely beaten and tortured be-
fore being released.
I sm told that these families
now live in one small room in
the Embasy. They are now Ii-
1i
loed to have a radib, but they
are barred from receiving the
thousands of letters of spport
which have been sent them from
the West.
Ambassador Toon has chosen to
ignore the families and, on more
than one occasion, has prevailed
upon U. S. Senators visiting in
Moscow not to see the Christians
or to talk of their plight. Even
more disturbing is the fact that
I am informed that an American
consular official regularly at-
tempts to coerce the families into
leaving the Embassy.
It is quite clear that, if these
families are evicted from the Em-
bassy, all protection for the fam-
ilies, both those within the Em-
bassy and those outside, will
evaporate. These people long per-
secuted for their religious beliefs,
have already served time in la-
bor camps, been sent to psychi-
atric hospitals, had their children
abducted by the Soviet authorities
for "re-education," and had their
church services -forcibly disband-
ed.
As a demonstration of our gov-
ernment's policy of human rights
and beliof in religious freedom, I
urge you to instruct Ambassador
Toon to continue to grant asylum
to these ptole and to make ev'ry
representation to the Soviet Union
to allow them to emigrate to the
United States.
Hirst Black Union
The first national black labor
organization was the Colored Na-
tional Labor Union, organized in
1869, according to the U.S. De-
partment of Labor's "Labor
Firsts in America." UNION RIIL AND SEViCE TIAES DEPT.- AI-CIO
$1.5 Million Wil'
For Solar Energy
Train-ing Program
union-management
A joint ven-
ture has won a $1.5 million feder-
al grant for a national training
and education program in the de-
velopment of solar air heating hot
wrater systems.
The Energy Dept. contract went
to the Solar Training Institute
(SI) of the Sheet Metal & Air
Conditioning Industry, which is
setting up training s s in six
cities, including Sacramento.
Local contractors and members
of the Sheet Metal Workers oper-
ating the schools as a union-em-
ployer venture will provide th
labor. STI will provide and co-
ordinate teaching programs for
contractors, journeymen and ap-
prentices.
The government funds will be
used to pay -for the design, engi-
DOL Executive neering and materials for solar
Lauds Union Label air heating and hot water sys-
tems at the training facilities.
Under Secretary of Labor Rob-
ert J. Brown in his address at W. L. ."Bill" Filippini, presi-
the Opening Day Ceremonies of dent of STI and a former vice
president of the California AFIP
the recent AFL-CIO Union-Indus-
tries Show in Denver, Colorado, CIO, said the new venture will
made a good point about the un- have a major impact on the ac-
ion label and shop card: ceptance of solar technology in
'The union label is a demon- meeting the energy crisis.
stration of the power of social d,,Ie termed it an outstanding
justice within the United States. example of labor-management co-
It is proof that industry in 'the operation on mutual goals in -the
United States can be safe,. profit- public interest.
able and fair. It is proof that President Edward J. Carlough
America's men and women can of the Sheet Metal Workers, cit-
produce skilled and valuable ing the union's continuing activ-
work under conditions which re- ities in the development of solar
spect their dignity." heating technology, said the new
STI program should make the
country more energy self-suffici-
ent.
0 Don't buy non-union icebrg
Juno 22, 1979
THE CALIFORNIA AFL,CIO's
DI|G EST OF BI|L L S

The measures below introduced in the 1979-80 regular session of the California Legislature are
classified by the California Labor Federation as "Good," "Bad," or "Watcht". An asterisk f*) indicates a
bill sponsored by the California Labor Federation. A "Watcht" designation indicates that the Federation
will defer to the wishes of affected affiliates on the ultimate classification of the bill. Such bills are printed
in the digest to inform affiliates involved. No bill may be taken up until 30 days after the date of introduc-
tion indicated in the digest, except by a three-quarters vote. When the abbreviation (H.A.D.) appears in the
digest following the author's name, it means that the measure has been held at the Speaker's desk in the
House of origin and has not yet been assigned to a committee.

SENATE BILLS
*SB 858 Smith (G. 0.) -
Existing law contains provisions governing
the employer-employee relations within the various local public agen-
cies in the State of California, which provide that local public em-
ployees have a right to form, join, and participate in the activities of
employee organizations for the pirpose of representation on all
matters of employer-employee relations....
This bill would repeal such provisions, and would instead enaci
the "Local Government Employee Relations Act."
This bill would give local government employees, generally, the
right to form, join, or assist any employee organization, and to par-
ticipate in negotiations with local go-ernment employers over mat-
ters within the scope of representation through representatives of
their own choosing, and would specify such employees shall have the
right to refrain from supporting or engaging in such activities.
This bill would also do the following:
( I ) Provide that an employee organization selected by majority
of employees in an-appropriate unit shall be the exclusive representa-
tive of all employees in the unit, and provide a procedure for se-
lection of an exclusive representative.
(2) Permit loca! and government employers to deduct member-
ship fees and dues for employee organizations from members' sal-
aries.
(3) Provide for methods of settlement of certain disputes by me-
diation and factfinding....
Specified provisions of this bill relating to the purposes of the
bill and definitions of terms used, would become operative July 1,
1980. All other provisions of the bill would become operative Janu-
ary 1, 1981. . March 23, 1979. Public Employees-Good
SB 863 - Sieroty (Ed.) Under existing law several child develop-
ment programs are administered by the State Department of Edu-
cation and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. In addition, al-
ternative child care programs, effective only until June 30, 1979, are
funded to test alternatives to reduce cost, provide a broad range of
choices for parents, and to address unmet child care needs.
This bill would extend the termination date of such alternative child
care programs to June 30, 1980, and would revise and expand the
provision of child development programs, including the specification
of -minimum standards of program quality for all child care and de-
velopment programs. ...
The bill would take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
March 26, 1979. Child Care-Good
SB 888 - Roberti (G. 0.) -... Under existing law, firefighters are
statutorily prohibited from engaging in strikes, and other local pub-
lic agency employees do not have the right to strike pursuant to
judicial interpretation.
This bill would revise such provisions of existing law with respect
to firefighters and certain peace officers employed by a local
public agency, to provide that in situations where a mediator is
unable to effect settlement of a ccntroversy between an employer
and a representative of such employees, or if the parties are unable
to agree to appointment of a mediator under existing law, either
party may, pursuant to specified procedures, have their differences
submitted to binding arbitration. The bill would establish a specified ACA 39 - Frazee (Rev. & Tax.) - Existing provisions of the Califor-
procedure for settler-ent of controversies between the parties
through the utilization of an arbitration board. ...
... The amended agreement or the arbitration board's deci-
sion would be disclosed, and would be binding upon the parties.
D-39
The bill would provide that any such peace officer or fire-fighter
willfully engaging in a strike, as defined, against the public agency
employer is subject to immediate termination or a specified civil
penalty..
This bill would remain in effect until January 1, 1986, and as of
such date would be repealed, unless a later enacted statute deletes
or extends such date. . . March 26, 1979.
Labor Unions-Watcht
SB 889 - Presley (Jud.) -Existing law provides that no person shall
be excused from attending and testifying or from producing other
evidence in ob-edience to the subpoena of the Agricultural Labor
Relations Board, on the ground that the testimony or evidence re-
quired of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty
or forfeiture. However, no individual may be prosecuted or subiected
to any penalty or forfeiture on account of such testimony or evidence,
except for prosecution and punisnment for perjury committed in so
testifying.
This bill would instead provide that no person shall be excised
from testifying or producing other ev;dence pursuant to such 3 sub-
poena of the board, except on the ground that the testimony or
evidence required of him may +end to incriminate him. However,
the board could, with the approval of the Attorney General, order
the individual to give such testimony or provide such cther informa-
tion if necessary to the public interest. In such a case, no informa-
tion derived from such testimony or other information could be used
against the witness in any criminal case, except a prosecution for per-
jury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with
the order of the board. March 26, 1979. Labor Unions-Bad
SB 936 - Russell (P. E. & R.) - Existing provisins of law provided
that members of the California Highway Patrol, state safety classes of
the Department of Justice, and San Francisco harbor policemen are
entitled to leaves of absence without loss of salary in lieu of workers'
compensation disability payments whenever they are disabled by
injury arising out of and in the course of their duties.
This bill would provide that such leave shall not apply to periods
of disability which occur during a disciplinary suspension or subse-
quent to termination of employment by res;gnation, retirement or
dismissal. March 27, 1979. Public Employees-Watcht
SB 1003 - Johnson (11. R.) - Existing law provides that the provisions
of law requiring the Industrial Welfare Commission to adopt orders
fixing the minimum wage, maximum hours, and standard conditions
of labor in this state shall apply to and include men, women, and
minors employed in any occupation, trade, or industry.
This bill would instead provide that such provisions shall apply
only to minors employed in dny occupation, trade, or industry.
March 29, 1979. Labor Code-Bad
ASSEMBLY CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT
nia Constitution exempt specified property from taxation.
This measure would specify that business inventories and imple-
ments of husbandry shall be exempt from property taxation. March
23, 1979. Taxation-Bad
June 22, 1979
 ASSEMBLY BILLS
AB 1502 - Naylor (Rev. & Tax.) - Under existing law, various per-
centages of the gain or iosJ recognized upon the sale or exchange of
a capital asset are taken into account in the computation of tax-
able income, based on the holding period of the asset.
This bill would revise the percentages of recognized gain or loss
to be taken into account in computing taxable income and would
revise the holding periods upon which such percentages are based.
- . . March 29, 1979. Taxation-Bad
AB 1519 - Roos (H. & C. D.) . ... This bill would create a 7-mem-
ber Projects Appeal Board, which board would have the power to
hear appeals from any project developer which results in disapproval
of a proposal for low and moderate income housing development. To
qualify for such an appeal, the bill would require the project to
contain at least 30 percent low and moderate income housing, ex-
cept in cities and counties which already have in place or under
construction the number of units equal to or more than their fair
share obligation, determined as specified in the bill and approved
by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The
scope of review would be prescribed in the bill. The burden of proof
for judicial review would be specified in the bill. . . March 29, 1979.
.
Housing-Watch
AB 154 - M. Waters (P. E. & Ret.) ... This bill would require
each city, city and county, county, school district, community col-
lege district, and special district to take job performance, job nec-
essity, seniority, and the effect on affirmative action programs into
account when making staff reductions or reassignments.
Under existing law, Sections 2231 and 2234 of the Revenue
and Taxation Code require the state to reimburse local agencies
and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. ...
This bi;l provides that no appropriation is made by this act pur-
suant to Section 2231 or 2234, but recognizes that local agencies
and school districts may pursue their other available remedies to
seek reimbursement for these costs. March 29, 1979.
Public Employees-Bad
AB 1552 - Filante (Rev. & Tax.) .... This bill would provide a tax
credit, under both the Personal Income Tax Law and the Bank and
Corporation Tax Law, for employers for a specified percentage of
wages and sa;aries paid to individuals who have been in employ-
ment under a work incentive program, or who have been certified
as being eligible for payments under the Aid to Families with De-
pendent Children Program, the State Supplementary Program for
Aged, Blind and Disabled, or County Aid and Relief to Indigents
Program.
.. - The operative date of this act would depend on its Affective
date. March 29, 1979. Taxation-Bad
AB 1554 - Filante (Rev. & Tax.) - Existing Bank and Corporation Tax
Law prcvides for various credits against the liability for income taxes.
This bill would provide for a credit of 1% of the employer con-
tributions to employee stock ownership and purchase plans to be
applied against the liability for bank and corporation taxes on in-
come.
The bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy, but its opera-
tive date would depend on when it becomes operative. March 29,
1979. Taxafion-Bad
AB 1555 - Filante (Rev. & Tax.) - Existing provisions of the Personal
Income Tax Law and Bank and Corporation Tax law do oot authorize
a tax credit for amounts invested in the acquisition of property.
This bill would authorize a credit against such taxes in an amount
equal to 5% of the qualified investment in certain property, as spe-
cified, and would authorize the carryback and carryover of excess
credits, within specified limits.
This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy, but its
operative date would depend upon its effective date. March 29, 1979.
Taxation-Bad
AB 1607 - Berman (P. E. & Ret.) . . . This bill would provide in each
cf . . . (the) specified provisions of (the higher education employ-
ment relations) law that if the provisions of a memorandum of un-
derstanding are in conflict with such law, the memorandum of un-
derstanding shall be controlling without further legislative action,
except that if such provisions of a memorandum of understanding
require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become
effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget
Act.
June 22, 1979 D-40
This bill would become operative on July 1, 1979.
This bill would also take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
April 2, 1979. Education-Watcht
AB 1610 - Levine (Fin., Ins., & Com.) - Existing law does not require
health care service plans, disability insurance policies, self-insured
employee welfare benefit plans, or nonprofit hospital service plans
to provide coverage for comprehensive preventive care of children.
This bill would require such plans and policies which are issued
or entered into on a group basis to provide coverage on and after
January 1, 1981, to covered individuals, on the same terms and
conditions as other covered benefits, for comprehensive preventive
care of children. April 2, 1979. Miscellaneous-Watcht
AB 1612'- Bane (Fin., Ins., & Com.) - Existing unemployment com-
pensation and unemployment compensation disability law generally
include or exclude payments made to individuals within the meaning
of the term "wages" for purposes of making required contributions.
Excluded from the meaning of "wages" for such purposes are pay-
ments made by an employer to or on behalf of an employee on ac-
count of sickness or accident disability or medical or hospitalization
expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability under
various circumstances, or death, or those made to an employee after
the month in which he or she attains age 65, other than vacation
or sick pay, under stated circumstances.
This bill would repeal such exclusions from the meaning of the
term "wages."
Existing unemployment compensation law provides that an indi-
vidual is "unemployed", among other things, in a week of less than
full-time work, or any week during which such individual performs
full-time work for 5 days as a juror or as a witness under subpoena,
if the wages payable to him for such week are less than his weekly
benefit amount.
This bill would, with a specified exception, provide that any
"wages" paid to an individual after the termination of employment
would be allocated to the week in which the individual last per-
formed services.... April 2, 1979. Unemployment Insurance-Watcht
*AB 1642 - Perino (Rev. & Tax.) - Under an existing provision of the
Personal Income Tax Law, various local entities are prohibited from
imposing an income tax, but, in Weekes v. City of Oakland, 21
Cal. 3d 386, the California Supreme Court held that such prohibition
did not apply to the business or occupation tax of the chartered
City of Oakland.
This bill would prohibit the levy or collection by various entities
of local government of any license tax or payroll expense tax meas-
ured by the wages paid to an employee. April 3, 1979.
Taxation-Good
AB 1646 - Torres (Crim. J.) - Existing law provides that certain
functions of the probation officer may be performed by probation
aides and probation volunteers.
This bill would also authorize such functions to be performed by
community volunteers. It would prohibit a county from replacing
deputy probation officers, probation aides, or community workers
who are compensated for their services with probation volunteers,
probation aides, or community workers who are not compensated
for their services. April 3, 1979. Public Employees-Watch
AB 1672 - Felando (Fin., Ins., & Com.) - Existing law defines a
telephone line for purposes of the jurisdiction and control of the
Public Utilities Commission pursuant to the provisions of the Public
Utilities Act as all facilities for communication by telephone whether
with or without the use of wires.
This bill would except telephone switchboards (PBX) from this
definition for these purposes. April 4, 1979. Labor Unions-Bad
AB 1675 - Lehman (L., E., & C. A.) - Existing law permits the Agri-
cultural Labor Relations Board, where a person has engaged in an
unfair labor practice, to issue an order requiring such person to
cease and desist from such unfair labor practice, and to take action
including, among other things, making employees whole for the loss
of pay resulting from the employer's refusal to bargain.
This bill would delete the specific authority of the board to re-
quire an em'ployer to make employees whole for the loss of pay
resulting from the employer's refusal to bargain. April 4, 1979.
Labor Code-Bad