Affirmative Action Alert
By Amy Schuman
On Friday, April 23, 1982, revisions were proposed to the current Affirmative Action Regulations which, if allowed to pass without protest, will significantly weaken all affirmative action protection. We have only 30 days to protest these revisions. May 23, 1982 is the deadline for sending comments. In Washington, D.C., several national women's groups have warned the Reagan Administration that there will be very strong opposition to their intentional gutting of affirmative action.
The salient points of the proposed regulations are: Construction guidelines
The new regulations will retain the current level of 6.9 percent as a goal for women in construction. This is to be applauded. However, this 6.9 percent goal
News
Affirmative Action Alert........
will not apply to each trade as it currently does, but rather to all construction work as a whole. In addition, the employer will satisfy this 6.9 percent goal if at least 6.9 percent of the total hours worked in entry level positions are by women. As a result of these two revisions, it is likely that one trade may become the new ghetto for most minorities or females "allowed" to enter the trade. Women and minorities will be concentrated in the unskilled entry-level categories, thus enabling the skilled trades to comply with the regulations without training women and minorities in the high paying skilled craft positions. Job Groups
Currently jobs in an Affirmative Action Plan are grouped by similar content, salary, and opportunity for promotion (i.e., all managerial jobs at a certain level are a group). The new regulations define a job
CONTENTS
Features
National
Women's International Media Network.....2 Fewer Women Board Members.....
Incest: The Therapist's Problems.... Women Workers in Japan.....
....8
2
Tillie Olsen: Lost Lives.....
.4 ...5
.3
Meditation Methods.....
......9
Find It Fastest.......
Reviews......
...back cover ...6-7
District 925 Pressures CCC....
1
What's Happening.
.12-15
Cleveland Lesbian/Gay Conference.. Gloria Steinem in Cleveland...................
1
1
Classifieds ......
15
Local
Cover Graphic by Cathy Cunningham
What She Wants usually goes to production the third weekend of the month. Copy should be submitted by the 15th of each month so that we can discuss it and edit collectively at our editorial meetings. Contact us for specific deadlines. Please print or type articles. Mail material to WSW, P. O. Box 18465, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118.
WHAT SHE WANTS IS:
A MONTHLY NEWS JOURNAL PRODUCED FOR ALL WOMEN. We always like input from our readers in the form of articles, personal experiences, poetry, art, announcements, and letters. We welcome women who are willing to help us in specific areas of the paper (writing, lay-out, advertising, distribution, publicity, etc.) and/or who are interested in our collective.
WHAT SHE WANTS ADVOCATES:
...equal and civil rights
...the right to earnings based on our need, merit, and interest ...access to job training, salaries, and promotions we choose
...the right to organize in unions and coalitions to advance our cause ...the right to decent health care and health information
...the right to safe, effective birth control and to safe, legal abortions ...the right to accept or reject motherhood
...the right to choose and express sexual preference without harassment ...access to quality education and freedom from prejudice in learning materials
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
A one-year subscription to WSW includes
10 regular monthly issues
DISTRIBUTION OUTLETS:
East: Appletree Books, Coventry Books, CWRU Bookstore, Food Communities, Food Project, Hemming & Hulbert Central: Barnes & Noble, Publix Book Mart, WomenSpace
West: American Indian Center, CCC Bookstore,. Plants Plus, Six-Steps Down Chagrin Falls: Little Professor Book Center.
Akron: Cooperative Market
Kent: Kent Natural Foods Store
Columbus: Fan the Flames Bookstore
Boston, MA: New Words Bookstore
Business Group
Linda Jane/Coordinator
Peggi Cella
Dianne Fishman
Pat O'Malley
Michelle Vanderlip
Editorial Group
Loretta Feller/Coordinator
Gail Powers
Pat Randle Cheryl Reed
copyright © 1982
Production Group
Jean Loria/Coordinator Mary Walsh/Coordinator Willow Bentley Suzanne Britt Rita Margolias Karen Skladany
group as being all jobs in the same formal or informal line of progression, such as entry-level data processor through manager of data processing. This new job grouping will allow employers to set an affirmative action goal for a job group. and accomplish it by hiring a woman or a minority person into an entry-level job only, rather than into jobs at all levels.
Availability
Presently employers determine the availability of female and minority workers by an eight-factor analysis. The new regulations propose a simplified method using only four factors. Although the eightfactor analysis is a cumbersome process, the factors being deleted are those that take into account the unemployed, individuals being trained in schools for (continued on page 10)
WSW LETTERS & NOTES
Dear What She Wants,
I was very happy to see the April 22, 1982 demonstration against high utility bills by Neighborhood People in Action brought Sohio's stockholders' meeting to a dead halt. The protestors, a large number of whom were women, demanded that Sohio oppose federal deregulation of natural gas and provide $1 billion to help the poor, the elderly and the unemployed insulate their homes and pay the outrageous heating bills that made Sohio $454.7 million in the first three months of this year.
Although high utility bills do affect everyone, they particularly affect those on fixed incomes: welfare recipients and the elderly on Social Security, who are in the main women. Many women also head households in this country, and since we are always at the lower end of the salary scale, increased utility bills take a disporportionately large chunk from our pocketbooks.
Demonstrations such as that by Neighborhood People in Action are the best answer to escalating utility bills. They make it clear to Sohio, and the other utilities, that business as usual cannot go on until they deal with the people's needs.
-Rita Margolias
WSW Meeting Times (all meetings are open)
May 12 at 7:30 p.m.-Brainstorming Meeting. To evaluate the new issue and brainstorm about news/issues/ideas of concern to women and feminists. This month's meeting will be at 2649 East 126th Street (between Woodland and Shaker ). May 19 at 7:30 p.m.-Editorial Meeting. To plan the upcoming issue and edit articles. Authors wishing feedback on their first drafts are encouraged to attend. Call for location.
May 26 at 7:30 p.m.-Final Editorial Meeting. To do final editing and proofread articles. Call for location.
Deadlines for June issue:
Articles
Ads
What's Happening
May 19
May 26 May 26
To Contact WSW By Phone Reach WSW staff members at 932-8259 or 229-3753 from 6-9 Monday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
What She Wants reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. Where time permits, we will discuss all edits with the author before going to press. If you wish to see a copy of your edited article, submit your manuscript no later than the first of the month and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission.
May, 1982/What She Wants/Page 3