Many local officials were there in an initial demonstration of support to the Steelworkers Fight Back slate.

More than half of those at the Sadlowski meeting were Chicanos, a reflection of the largely Chicano composition of District 38 steelworkers.

It was Sadlowski's first public rally in this area. After a brief presentation outlining his basic platform for union democracy, he answered questions for almost two hours.

Sadlowski also stressed the need to create a new consciousness within the union so that there could never again be a no-strike deal in any steel contract.

One questioner asked about the consent decree, an agreement between the government, the basic steel companies, and the union for a weak affirmative-action program for women and minorities. Sadlowski said the consent decree doesn't go nearly far enough to eliminate discrimination and job tracking.

A young steelworker asked if Sadlowski supported the strict constitutional requirements to run for local union office, including attendance at at least one-half of the union meetings held during the three years period to candidacy.

Sadlowski said he favors eliminating this restriction, which is aimed at younger unionists.  
 
November 12, 1951
NEW YORK, Nov. 8--After listening politely to speeches by the top [government Korean war] mobilization officials, the Thirteenth Constitutional Convention of the CIO bitterly assailed the mobilization set-up and resolved that "we shall never submit to discriminatory wage freezes or unfair policies of any other kind which threaten the standard of living and the hard-won collective bargaining advances of free American labor...."

The outspoken attacks of all the CIO leaders on the policies of the Wage Stabilization Board were the opening barrage in the campaign of the CIO Steelworkers union for "substantial wage increases" in the coming negotiations with the steel magnates.

Every protest by CIO leaders against the mobilization set-up was prefaced by breast-beating declarations of support to the government's program for war. The speeches of the many government officials addressing the convention started from the same premise and drew the logical conclusion, namely, if you support the war program you must sacrifice wage demands, you must use "self-restraint and self-control." The tone of the whole convention was as flag-waving as an American Legion conclave.

A strong Civil Rights Resolution was passed. It called for a Federal FEPC, an anti-lynch law, an end of poll taxes and federal and state Civil Rights Laws.

A separate resolution was passed condemning racial discrimination in the Panama Canal Zone which is based on the federal government's pay differentials for white and colored workers doing the same jobs.  
 
 
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