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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 24, 1975
CONTACT: ALD. BILL COUSINS
ALD. DICK SIMPSON
CITY DISCRIMINATION CHARGED BY MINORITY ALDERMEN
(1975)
(Editors Note: Gender discrimination in Chicago city employment was
rampant before the advent of the women's movement. This press release
by 5 Chicago aldermen substantiated the charges that groups like NOW,
DARE, and Operation PUSH had been making.)
Five minority
aldermen today charged that the city of Chicago continues to discriminate
against women and minorities by its hiring practices and salary levels.
The charges,
based on a 1974 study by the Chicago Reporter, were made by
Aldermen William Cousins, Jr., 8th, Dick Simpson, 411th, Dennis Block,
48th, Ross Lathrop, 5th and Martin J. Oberman, 43rd, at the third
of a series of press conferences on the Mayor?s proposed 1976 budget.
The study
showed that only about one fourth of city employees are Black or
Latino, although these groups made up 40 per cent of the city's 1970
population. Only 16 per cent of city employees are women.
"Chicago
still has no city-wide affirmative action program to improve this
situation," of hiring Latinos is even worse. Latinos represent
only 1.4 per cent of city employees.
The women
and minority employees who were hired are clustered in low-paying
jobs, the aldermen said. The median salary of a black male employee
is more than $1,500 less than the median figure for white males.
The median salary for black women is about half that of white males.
BOARD OF
EXAMINERS
The
city Board of Examiners does not offer any of its trade?licensing examinations
in Spanish, the aldermen said.
"As a result of this policy, Latino plumbers and masons who acquired
skills in their native countries cannot practice their trade in Chicago
There are only five licensed Latino plumbers in the city" Ald. Cousins
said.
CUSTODIAL
AND BUILDING DEPARTMENTS
The
aldermen charged that discrimination against women is particularly evident
in the Custodial and Building Departments.
"Twenty-five
years ago, 45 women were employed as janitresses in city hall. Now
there are only 13," Cousins said.
The title
of janitor has been changed to "custodial worker". While janitors
and janitresses have always done the same jobs, the new requirements
for the position of custodial worker include a physical performance
test involving lifting heavy objects above the head. Therefore, women
employees can only be custodial assistants, and receive less pay,
the aldermen said.
"Fewer
than ten inspectors in the Building Department are Latino and there
are no women building inspectors," Cousins added.
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
The
Superintendent of Police stated on November 21st, when he appeared
before the City Council that 17 per cent of the sworn personnel of
the Police Department are black or Spanish surnamed. The 1970 census
shows that blacks and Latinos constitute over 40 per cent of the city's
population. Clearly, blacks and Spanish-surnamed people are not fairly
represented on the police force.
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