Memorandum on Types of Complaints against the International Association of Machinists

There are three types of complaints before FEPC at this time against the International Association of Machinists.¹ Specific cases are discussed in the attached summary. The categories are as follows:

Those cases in which, because of a closed shop contract, Negroes are barred from employment because the International Association of Machinists will not permit them to work. This is the situation in Richmond, California; Durham, North Carolina and Detroit, Michigan.

Complaints in which it is alleged that the local lodge of the International Association of Machinists prevents the upgrading of Negroes as is illustrated in the Fort Worth, Texas and York, Pennsylvania cases.

Cases in which it is charged that Negroes are denied membership in the union although they are employed by a company holding a contract with the IAM. This is the situation in Seattle and in Kansas City. In the Seattle cases, Negro employees pay the same monthly fees as whites but do not pay an initiation fee. In one of the Seattle lodges, Negro employees were formerly admitted but it is alleged that they are now kept out because of the action by the International union.

Attachment

SUMMARY OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS

The following is a listing of FEPC cases pending in which complainants charge that they have been discriminated against solely because of their race:

On January 25, 1944 a USES 510 report was filed with the Regional office of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice in San Francisco. This report charged that the policies of Lodge 824 in Richmond, California prevented employment of Negroes in the Richmond Shipyard. It is also alleged that the policies of this lodge restricted the employment of Negroes in the following companies: Rheem Manufacturing Company, American Standard and Radiator Sanitary Company, and the Pacific Enamel Works. This case has been presented to Mr. Harvey Brown, president of the Machinists. On July 12, 1944, Mr. Brown sent a telegram to the lodge urging cooperation. The region advises that there has been no change in the policies of the union and has referred the case to Washington.

Lodge 79, which has a contract with the Seattle-Tacoma Ship, was named in a complaint filed July 7, 1944 by Chester Barry Smith and Willy L. Hopkins. The complainants, who are Negroes, charge that they have been denied membership in Hope Lodge 79. Representatives of our office in Region XII have met with the union and were advised that some Negroes are already members of the union, but further initiations were halted by the International office. Our office was informed that the International headquarters of the union stated to the local lodge that the word “white” in the ritual would include whites, Chinese, Filipinos, Hawaiians, and Indians but would specifically exclude Negroes. Negro employees state that they pay a permit fee which is the same amount as the monthly dues of the white employees who are admitted to full membership in the union. The union admits that it is correct that the Negro members pay the same monthly amount in exchange for permission to work but says Negroes do not pay any initiation fee. This case was also referred to Washington as unadjustable at the local level.

On January 20, 1944, the San Francisco office of FEPC received complaints from Miss Pauline Houston and Mr. Vernon Johnson of Seattle against the Aeronautical Mechanics Lodge No. 751, IAM. The complainants, who are employees of the Boeing Aircraft Company with which the union has a bargaining relationship, charge that they were refused membership solely because of their race. These complainants state that they pay a permit fee which is the same amount as the monthly dues of the white employees who are admitted to full membership in the union. The union admits that it is correct that the Negro members pay the same monthly amount in exchange for permission to work, but says Negroes do not pay any initiation fee. On April 28, FEPC representatives met with Grand Lodge Representative, James A. Duncan; C. L. Bentley, Vice President of District 751 and A. J. Cline. The problem was discussed and the union officials took the position that admission of Negroes to membership by a change in the ritual would result in a split in the IAM. This case was referred to Washington as unadjustable.

The Kansas City office of FEPC received five complaints against Lodge 314 of the IAM on October 30, 1944. The following individuals signed the complaints: James E. Alsbrok, Helen Latimore, Alfretta Wilson, Frankie Mae Foster, and Juanita Mullen. These individuals charged that they made application to Lodge 314 for membership because it has a bargaining relationship with the Pratt and Whitney Company. They alleged that they were refused this membership solely because of their race. The region has referred this matter to the Central office. All complainants work at the plant.

The regional office of FEPC in Dallas, Texas received a complaint on November 1, 1944 on the IAM at the Texas Pacific shops in Fort Worth. The complainants charged that the local chairman of the IAM attempted to prevent Negro machinists from performing certain operations on the railroad. A conference was held with Mr. Mulholland, an International representative of the IAM, who agreed that the action of the lodge was wrong and stated that the local leaders would not interfere with full utilization of Negro workers. This case was closed but negotiations were resumed when the Negro complainants charged that the agreement reached with Mr. Mulholland was being violated. This matter is still in the hands of the regional office.

On October 29, 1943, the regional office of FEPC in Washington docketed a case against Lodge 721 of the IAM in Durham, North Carolina. This lodge has a closed shop contract with the Wright Automatic Tobacco Packing Machinery Company at Durham. In the course of negotiations with the company, resulting from its failure to employ Negro workers, the union wrote the following letter to the company on April 20, 1942:²

“In reply to your question of this date, Lodge 721 of the International Association of Machinists admits to membership only competent white candidates. It would therefore be impossible for your company to employ in the mechanics department, persons of other race than white under the terms of the contract you hold with Lodge 721.”

On November 22, 1943 Mr. Frank Hook, who was at that time Regional Director for FEPC and Mr. Joseph H. B. Evans, the present Regional Director, conferred with Mr. Harvey Brown on this case. Mr. Brown stated that the local union was asked to withdraw the letter it had written to the company but he was unable to show a reply to the letter sent to Local Lodge 721 by the International. This case has been referred to the Central office as unadjustable.

The FEPC Philadelphia office received a complaint on April 5, 1944 from Charles Washington, Frank Anderson, Charles W. Sexton, Eddie Kearse, Charles Berry, John Stoney, Earl Ritter, R. K. Arguines, Toiling Ritter, Bernard Jones, Joseph G. Bayer, Joseph Washington, David Sexton, and Corlean Jameison against Lodge 243 of the IAM which has a bargaining relationship with the A. B. Farquhar Company of York, Pennsylvania. The complaint allege[s] that Negro employees of the company are denied membership by the union and further, that certain employees are denied upgrading by the company because of pressure by the union. The complainants allege that they applied for membership and intended to pay joining fees but these fees were returned by Lodge 243. This case is still being processed by the regional office in Philadelphia.

The Detroit office of FEPC has informed us of a problem involving Lodge 698 of the IAM in Detroit. It is alleged that Negro mechanics are not employed for the maintenance of trucking equipment because of the policies of the union. This matter is still in the hands of the regional office.

There are twelve unresolved complaints against the Machinists Union in the railroad industry. These complaints are a part of the general problem considered by the Committee in the railroad hearings on September 15–18, 1943.