DRC Releases Prop 209 Study!

For Release: Monday, June 14, 2004

For More Information, contact
John Trasviña, DRC, 510-845-3473, ext. 307
Ingrid Tischer, Equal Rights Advocates, 415-621-0672, ext. 381

Affirmative Action Ban Closes Doors to Women
in Construction Trades, Study Finds

Proposition 209, California's ban on affirmative action in state contracts, has reversed years of progress for women seeking jobs in construction trades, according to a new report by the Discrimination Research Center, a project of The Impact Fund, and Equal Rights Advocates. The report recommends repeal of Proposition 209's prohibition on affirmative action.

"You will not see a sign saying 'No Women Need Apply' but the message is the same," said John Trasviña, Director of the Discrimination Research Center (DRC).

"Proposition 209 put a virtual stop to the slow progress women were making into traditionally male occupations such as carpentry, electrical work and plumbing," according to Irma D. Herrera, Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates (ERA).

Proposition 209 has thwarted steady inroads women were making into traditionally all-male blue collar occupations such as carpentry, electrical work and plumbing. Affirmative action programs, court decisions, executive orders and advocacy paved the way for women to be considered fairly for jobs in the construction trades that provide higher pay and require less academic education than positions in other industries.

From 1996, when Proposition 209 was enacted, to 2001, the most recent year with comparable government data, the percentage of California women in construction jobs dropped by one-third in spite of increases in the number of available positions. Construction jobs in California continue to be held almost exclusively by men, even as the number of jobs increases. Census Bureau data confirm that in California in 2000, there were 27% fewer women construction laborers and electricians, 25% fewer women plumbers and 15% fewer women carpenters than in 1990.

These figures are in stark contrast to other states without a 209-like ban on affirmative action: the percentage of women employed in the trades has increased nationally.

The study, conducted over the past two and a half years with grant support from The Levi Strauss Foundation, confirms what advocates and experts predicted when Proposition 209 passed. Molly Martin, founder of Tradeswomen, Inc. stated, "Without affirmative action, we lose access to these jobs for which we've fought so hard and which hold the key to the door out of poverty for many poor and working-class women."

California apprenticeship program enrollment data reveal a similar sharp decline since the passage of Proposition 209. Women in apprenticeship programs that prepare future construction workers for journey level status decreased by 41% from 1994-2003. “Although there have been hiring gains by some public agencies, notably the City and County of San Francisco, the absence of women in apprenticeship training programs sets the stage for the harsh effects of Proposition 209 to be felt for a long time,” said Trasviña.

The report found that government monitoring agencies lack the resources and the data to address hiring discrimination and disparities effectively.

In addition to advocating the repeal of Proposition 209, the DRC and ERA propose a series of policy recommendations, including

* Improving data collection by government agencies regarding the workforces of public works projects;

* Increasing monitoring, including by periodic site audits, of the hiring practices of public works contractors;

* Promoting pre-apprenticeship training programs for women and fostering mentoring relationships between apprentices and journey-level tradeswomen;

* Building partnerships among apprenticeship programs, community-based organizations, recruiters and contractors;

* Creating tradeswomen's committees in unions for support, networking and training.

The study, Proposition 209 and the Decline of Women in the Construction Trades, in its entirety along with related research on employment and women may be found at http://www.impactfund.org/drc.html.

The Discrimination Research Center (http://www.impactfund.org/drc.html) is a civil rights think tank with offices in Berkeley and Los Angeles. Founded in 1998 by The Impact Fund, DRC combines research, advocacy and public education to promote social justice and to combat discrimination.

Equal Rights Advocates (http://www.equalrights.org) has led the legal fight for women’s equality for 30 years. Since 1974, ERA’s mission has been to protect and secure equal rights and economic opportunities for women and girls through litigation and advocacy.