Online Forty Niner: v8n3: Department of Labor, CSULB to meet

In the aftermath of violating affirmative action laws for Vietnam War veterans, Cal State Long Beach is scheduling an early September meeting date to rectify the situation, said Armando Contreras, executive assistant to the president.

The U.S. Department of Labor found that university officials had violated 21 sections of the 1974 federal law in early August.

The meeting would involve the U.S. Department of Labor and CSULB officals, Contreras said. "This is standard procedure," he said.

After getting faxed a copy of the department findings on Aug. 14, the university responded with an updated affirmative action plan for veterans Aug. 17, Contreras said.

The new plan, sent to William D. Smitherman, district director of the Employment Standards Administration for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, now features a separate affirmative action plan for veterans, a self-identification form and other revisions.

Vietnam veteran Wayne Moore, Jr., however, said the plan doesn't measure up.

"It has misinformation ... it's not my complaint," he said. Moore also said on Tuesday that he had filed a grievance with the California Faculty Administration.

The union is asking the entire California State University system provide information on its compliance with the 1974 act.

On Oct. 12, 1998, Moore filed a complaint testifying the university broke the rules of the 1974 Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act.

The act states that veterans are to be awarded "equal opportunity and affirmative action," or their hiring and promotion, for serving in the Vietnam War.

In response, Contreras said: "It's based on non-compliance with regulations. It's two parts. Writing the plan and the implementation of plan."

The last time both veterans and university officials discussed the tense situation was on March 20, 2000.

However, "it was an impasse situation," said Vietnam veteran Raymond Renaud, an equipment technician for audio visual services. "Neither side reached agreement."

"It's a national disgrace," Renaud said. It's a problem that goes across the U.S. when it comes to federal contractors. They forget the vets are a part of the affirmative action policy."

After the initial non-compliance findings in February, one would think the university would be in compliance with the department, Renaud said.

"We have been working on this over a year or so," Contreras said. "We need to address the issue and come to a resolution."

The conflict began in 1995 when Renaud filed with the department a class-action discrimination complaint with the Labor Department.

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