NOW Talk Covers Affirmative Action

A forum on the role women play in the current debate about affirmative action programs is scheduled Thursday.

Coordinated by the San Fernando Valley/Northeast Los Angeles Chapter of the National Organization for Women, the meeting will focus on how the national debate has largely excluded the impacts that affirmative action programs have had on women.

A look at some demographic trends for women in the workplace will lend some depth to that debate, the meeting’s organizers say.

“Though we have quite a long way to go, many women have benefited tremendously from affirmative action,” said Jean Morrison, NOW chapter coordinator. “Keeping that fact out of the discussion can be detrimental.”

Morrison said both the demographics of women in the workplace and the nature of jobs made available to women during the last several years countermand notions that affirmative action is no longer necessary.

“(Caucasian) women have benefited from affirmative action more than any other group,” Morrison said. “If we lived in a colorblind society, that would not be the case.

“Affirmative action was set up to assure that there are opportunities available for all under-represented people. If people were hired on the basis of merit, we wouldn’t need it, but that has never been the case.

“In the private sector, many job placement decisions are made with the sons or relatives of those running the organization already in mind,” Morrison said.

According to a recent national study, although Caucasian men represent about 37% of the working population, the majority of high corporate jobs usually go to them. Through advertising, letter-writing and grass-roots organizing, California NOW hopes to open up discussion on affirmative action before the issue likely reaches a state election ballot in 1996.

Thursday’s meeting is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. at Union Federal Bank, 13300 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. For additional information, call (818) 769-2035.