United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America. Research Dept.

For much of its history the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE) has championed civil rights efforts, both in and out of the work place. Since the early 1940s, the UE has released publications decrying discriminatory acts and has fought against such industry super powers as GE and Westinghouse. In 1947, the UE National Convention established a resolution against discrimination. During this convention the UE also created the National Fair Practices Commission (FPC), whose longstanding mission has been to provide guidance and direction for locals while also educating its members about civil rights violations through publications. Women's rights played an instrumental role in the UE's agenda, as they fought for equal pay for equal work. Women working in the electrical, radio, and machine industries constantly faced discrimination based on their gender, marital status, age, and pregnancy status. The UE fought equally against discriminatory practices regarding African-American workers. The UE conducted research and published material concerning discrimination in the workplace, the armed services, and in education. In 1951, the UE, along with the United Auto Workers and other labor unions with significant African-American representation, had created the National Negro Labor Council. Ernest Thompson, head of the UE's Fair Employment Practices Committee, gave the speech introducing William R. Hood as president. When the Civil Rights Act came to the table in 1964, the UE mobilized its membership to ensure its passage for the sake of all women and minorities, describing it as one of the most crucial pieces of legislation at the time. In addition, because UE members were the subject of injustices during the McCarthy-era, the union consistently took a strong stance against any violation of civil liberties. Recently, the UE continued its efforts by fighting for immigrant rights and standing up against the wire-tapping policies of President George W. Bush's administration.