Urban League reacts to Nixon's shift on minority hiring quotas and the effect on the construction industry
September 8, 1972 - Two weeks ago President Nixon announced he was against minority hiring quotas established in the ?60s. An Urban League worker who works with unions to get minorities into skilled trades says Nixon?s statement makes his job harder. He says this dilutes the whole effort, this is another way of pacifying minorities and not meaningfully integrating the construction trade. It?s a ploy by government to get the labor vote. The construction industry wants to return to business as usual, The industry wants to cut back on minorities going into construction via special programs such as LEAP. Construction unions have political and economic concerns. If minorities become mobile and more affluent and move out of the inner city, this is viewed as a threat. Older craftsman feel their jobs suddenly will be gobbled up or taken away by unskilled or unqualified blacks.