JaiiouM TciK ”
City Should Act To End Bus Strike
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
Charlotte’s 25-day old bus strike,
the City’s first in 18 years, has
significantly affected . 10,000 daily
riders, disrupted many downtown
businesses, left the elderly stranded,
idled 132 buses, left the striking
workers with little or no income, and
a negotiated settlement is apparent
ly no where in sight.
Furthermore, the longer the strike
lasts the more difficult it will be to
arrive at a settlement - a settlement
that will in the final analysis be
payed for by the Charlotte taxpay
: ers. The difficulty in a strike settle
ment arises from a number of
: factors:
; -Other city workers will be encou
j raged to form unions if the drivers
; are successful.
-To counteract this potential move
I by other city employees, the City is
: apparently pressuring the City
• Coach Line - the bus system’s
• management firm - to hold the line
on its offer of a 74-cents hourly raise
: and an estimated 45-cents cost-of
: living increase over two years. The
: pressure here is apparently in the
; fact that the bus system’s manage
ment firm itself is at the point of
• contract renewal with the City. To
come out a losser in the settlement
| • might cost the management firm its
job with the City.
-Union leadership is tending to take
a firmer position in the dispute
because they recognize the potential
for organizing other workers if the
8trike settlement is successful.
While no one can discount the.
significance of these issues, they are
nevertheless of secondary concern
since the primary objective must be
to get the buses rolling again at the
least possible cost.
Cost should be viewed from the
stand-point of (1) the $3.2 million
investment that the taxpayers have
in the bus system, and (2) the
alternative cost (no buses) of paying
for environmental and construction
needs to accomodate a rise in
downtown automobile traffic. City
transit planner Mike Kidd commen
ted on these costs recently. Thirdly,
and even more significant, is the
cost of the strikers’ wage increase as
budgeted and adopted by City Coun
cil in July. According to unconfirm
ed reports the City’s offer of 74 plus
45-cents is considerably below their
own budgeted amount.
Considering these facts, the POST
believes that the City should take a
hard look at the consequences of not
taking the initiative to end the strike
quickly. Our view here is based on
the assumption that the already
budgeted amount for the bus sys
tem’s employees is an amount above
the City’s last offer and therefore
close to what the union is asking for,
thus, a compromise should be possi
ble. We hope the City will see the
wisdom in such action.
Minority Enterprise Faces Crisis
in an uuuress 10 me am Annual
Business and Cultural Exposition of
Cincinnatti, Ohio, Dr. Berkeley G.
Burrell, president of the National
Business League said last month
that the development of minority
business enterprise in America fac
es an uncertain future due to the
" steady deterioration of the nation’s
commercial centers. He warned that
unless minorities can produce a
healthy economic climate in their
communities, efforts to achieve eco
nomic parity may well be doomed.
We may very well be doomed
in part because blacks have failed lo
recognize and understand the range
and scope of minority economic
development. Blacks instead have
tended to accept the narrow view
point of Richard Nixon’s “black
capitalism,” meaning the develop
ment of a small number of black
merchants to operate within - to
repeat within - the nation’s black
communities in selected business
venture}.
Therefore, as our urban and com
mercial centers are revitalized, eco
nomic parity for blacks will come
only if we look beyond the narrow
definition of “black capitalism” to
MH11UM1U11 A^uuciuumo 1U1 Vi
able economic development. These <
requirements are: (l) black owned
corporations, both large and small;
(2) black owned and operated com
munity development corporations;
(3) black owned and operated
banks; (4) the complete end to
discriminatory barriers that pre
vent Macks from purchasing stock,
being hired or promoted into private
and public sector policy-making
level jobs, being hired in larger
numbers as professors of business
administration and economics in the
nations colleges and universities,
securing good housing, and educa
tional opportunities; (5) the com
plete elimination of racism as a
basis tor' profit making; (6) the
acceptance of social responsibility
on a par with money profit in the
policy-decision-making philosophy
of white private enterprise; and (7),
a public policy based on a philosophy
of economic freedom that should be
directed toward the above six re
quirements. These then are the
minimum requirements for guaran
teeing blacks real equal opportunity
in the market place and for being an
important part of the revitalization
^fouiMirban centers.
BLACK COMMUNITIES
THAT CARE ABOUT THE
BLACK FUTURE,SHOULD
HELP IMPOSE ORDER /
MERE NEEDED.
Better Team Work: The
Answer To “Black On Black” Crime
' *>
What Is Parent Involvement?
When a school is mired
down by problems, one of the
reasons generally stated is
that it is due to the lack of
parent involvement. This
statement carries images of
parents who are disinterested, •
impassive, and uncaring to
ward the institution which
holds their children for a large
part of the day. Gradually, one
begins to draw the conclusion
that parents who don’t active
ly support the school also don’t
care anything about their
children. Actually, one has
nothing to do with the other. A
parent’s lack of cooperation
and support for the school
does not mean that the parent
is not interested and involved
with his child, nor does it
measure the value which a
parent places on education. It
is more a reflection of the
relationship which exists be
tween the parent and a parti
cular school, and his relation
ship usually tells more about
the school than it does about
the parents.
Universally, parents are
deeply involved with their
children and with all the va
rious aspects of their child
ren’s growth and survival.
This is what it means to be a
parent. This fact is not altered
one bit by the color of one’s
skin, the community one lives
in, the amount of education
one has, or the size of one’s
bank account. All human be
ings share the same basic
instincts, and the instinct of
the parent is perhaps one of
the most basic of all. Of course
there are exceptions, but there
is no concentration of these
exceptions among any parti
cular group, as they cut across
all races, communities, edu
cational and economic levels.
The exceptions only underline
the rule which says that it is
natural for parents to want to
protect their children, to want
to see them treated fairly, and
to want them to have every
opportunity for a good life.
Schools which recognize this
fact are able to relate positive
ly to their communities, and in
doing so, they get a positive
response from the parents in
return.
On the other hand, there are
schools which operate out of a
set of negative assumptions
and generalizations which are
usually expressed through
such statements as “They
don t care anything about
their children,” or “They
don’t know the value of educa
tion” or “We need to educate
the parents first” etc., etc. A
school which has allowed itself
to form an image of its jiarent .
community as “bad,” “uncar- '*
tag" or “unintelligent" finds it
impossible to relate to that
community in an attitude of
service, respect, or with any
degree of accountability. It
assumes the role of mission
ary to the community, placing
itself above the parents and
treating them accordingly.
The treatment which results
from this false attitude of
superiority manifests itself in
numerous ways, some of them
too subtle to pinpoint. But
every contact which the school
has with the parent forms a
general aura of respect of or
disrespect which a school
gives to the parent, and this
determines the total relation
ship between a school and its
parent community.
In such cases, it is the school
which is responsible for the
lack of parent cooperation and
support, and to cry that the
parents are not “involved” is
just another way of blaming
the victim.
TO
BE
I
EQUAL
Time For A New Realism
As I travel arounu uis country and talk to
people, especially in the black community, about
the coming Carter Administration, I’m increas
ingly disturbed by what appears to be a lack of
realism.
Conscious of the debt owed to the black vote by
President-elect Carter, too many people expect
miracles to come to pass after January 20. Some
seriously believe their local councilman, who’s a ‘
nice fellow, will be named Secretary of State.
Others think they just have to sit back and wait 0
until a golden horn of plenty is emptied by
Washington, full of money and programs that
will end poverty and discrimination overnight.
It’s not going to happen.
This is nn Hm« for fliahic nf fanru it’e a Hmo
for serious thought and developing strategies to -
get the programs black people and all poor
people need. And it’s a time for a new realism
that helps us understand the way our govern
ment works and the way we can influence it.
- No matter how concerned the President-elect
may be about race relations - and there’s ample
evidence that he’s very much concerned about
improving it ~ the fact remains that once he gets
to the White House he will face the immense
political pressures from various groups that will
influence his decisions.
And it’s very possible that these pressures and
the necessary compromise that are part of the
democratic process may make it expedient for
him to defer programs of vital importance to
black people.
So this is hardly the time to relax and wait for
the fruits of black political support for the Carter
candidacy to fall. Instead, it is a timeto bring
pressure to bear on the President-elect mid the
key people around him to make sure that
Cabinet, sub-Cabinet and regulatory agency
posts go to appointees who will favor social
reforms. And it’s a time to prepare program
proposals and public policy positions to present
to the new Administration, and alao to start now
to build the alliance that iyill get those Proposals
passed.H ',ni - -s” "a oimVr
nit: new reausm aiso snouia recognize mat
government action is not enough. Even if
everything black people want passes the Admi
nistration and Congress, we'll still face formid
able barriers. We can’t let ourselves fall into the
same trap as in the 1960s when federal activism *1
resulted in raised expectations followed by
deepened bitterness and frustration.
We can’t look to Washington alone when the
private sector has so far to go to satisfy
legitimate economic needs. If we dump it all on
Washington, that just helps get the private sector
off the hook.
And black people have to keep our own house
in order too. Yes, the President and the Congress
have to pass job-creation legislation, but realism
demands that the President and the Congress
can’t go to the employment centers for us, they
can’t take the job-training for us, and they can’t
learn the skills for us.
Wishful thinking has to give way to a new
realism that understands the need for exercising
our responsibilities to ourselves and to our
communities.
THE CHARLOTTE POST
# .
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I #
i Professionalism Lacking In Black Businesses
By Gerald O. Johnson _
I have noticed a lack in
^ Black professionalism in
Black business in Charlotte.
Those businesses catering to a
Black clientele seems to be
non-chalant about how they
present their product to the
customer. Let me give you an
example. When I first moved
to Charlotte I bought a house. I
wanted thTTun room on the
house remodeled. I called a.
Black construction company
to give me an estimate. The
owner came out looked over
what I wanted done and said
he would write up an estimate
and get back in contact with
me. Three years and one room
addition later and I haven’t
heard from him yet. I called a
white remodeling agency that
came in and did the Job. Ironi
cally enough the white agency
subcontracted the Job to a
Black carpenter who did an
excellent Job. The point here is
that Blacks are undoubtedly
qualified to do a professional
Job, yet they lack the profes
sional diplomacy to contract
jobs. It is inexcusable for any
business to ignore a potential
customer.
My wife started seeing a
Black gynecologist for her
medical services, but switch
ed after feeling that the doctor
was to insensitive. She wasn’t
the only defector. Over hear
ing conversations my wife
would have with friends it
became apparent that many
felt the same way.
Again professional diploma
cy overshadowed professional
ability.
Clubs, restaurants, insu
rance agencies, and the like
all lack the professional a ire.
Therefore the mood of skepti
cism about doing business
with Blacks is real.
But how real is it? As Blacks
needing services rendered we
help add to the unprofessiona
lism of Black businesses. It’s ,
a fact we as Black customers
give Black businesses a hard
way to go. Black workers pro
duce less when working for
Blacks. Black customers are
less willing to pay Black col
lectors, Black customers are
less willing to pay a Black
company for services render
ed the same price that they
would pay to a white company
for the same services. Taking
all this in consideration and
realizing that a Black busi
nessman's primary clientele,
is the Black public where as
Gerald O. Johnson
the white businessman's cli
entele knows no color, the
Black business is hurting.
Moreover, jealousy plays a
dominate role in Black busi
ness, Black customer relation
ships. A lot of Blacks refrain
from helping Black businesses
because they don’t want
Blacks to get ahead. In other
words there Ire those who
purposely anchor Black busi
nesses. The reason for this is
my theory of "Failure Ratio-,
nalization." It works like this:
These Blacks can rationalize'
their failings simply by using
race as the reason. By saying
that whites have had all the
opportunities, they can relax
with their shortcomings. But
as more Blacks succeed In
business it begins to put the
reasons for failure where it.
belongs: in the lap of the
individual.
It is obvious that black capi
talism suffers because of the
skepticism between Black
business and Black customer.
With a limited customer base
a Black business has to be
understaffed. The necessary
revenue is not forth coming.
This causes a situation where
by the owner of the business is
likely to be the sales man, the
worker, the bookkeeper, and
etc. This obviously limits a
person’s ability at diplomacy.
All small businesses lack pro
fessionalism for this reason.
As members of the Black
community we all should try
to help build pride and profes
sionalism in our community.
As businessmen we should
not use the lack of personnel
as an excuse for not giving
customers the very best ser
vice we can offer,,_
As Black laborers for Black
businesses we should do our
jobs the best we know how and
not try to take advantage of
the business because it is
Black.
As consumers of services
rendered by Black businesses
we should try to give our
support. We should under
stand the shortcomings and
handicaps of the Black busi
nessman and realise that with
our support most of these
shortcomings can be over
come.
Remember, North Carolina
Mutual, Johnson and Johnson,
and Johnson Publishing Com
pany, didn’t start out as large
corporations. All of these com
psnies started as one man
operations much the same
way as small businesses are in
Charlotte now.
With support, hard work,
and pride in ourselves as a
community we could turn
mountains.
NEWS FOR YOU!
Do you have a topic that you.
would like my opinion on?
Write to “As You See It” in
care of The Charlotte Post
You may include an opinion of
your own if you like for print
ing along with my opinion I
will give you my honest and
candid opinion on any topic.
Just think of It. you get my
opinion for exactly what my
opinion is worth! Absolutely
nothing. _
City Completes
Emergency
Number Report
A report outlining proposals
for the 911 emergency tele
phone service in Chariotte
Mecklenburg has been com
pleted. The Report was pre
pared by the City Manager's
staff and the Budget and
Evaluation Department.
The three-digit number, 911,
has been designated for use
nationwide as the central tele
phone number for reporting
emergencies. In January, Ma
yor John Belk appointed a
Study Committee to deter
mine the feasibility of imple
menting the program for
Chariot te-Mecklen burg The
Committee requested a report
from the City staff covering a
proposed 911 design, related
costs and effect on services.
The report, which is available
in the City Manager’s Office,
includes three such designs
and their financial and service
impacts.