NCJ Number
59123
Journal
CIVIL RIGHTS DIGEST Volume: 9 Dated: (FALL 1976) Pages: 12-21
Date Published
1976
Length
10 pages
Annotation
EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS FACED BY THE THREE LARGEST SUBGROUPS OF ASIAN AMERICANS--THE JAPANESE, CHINESE, AND FILIPINOS--ARE REPORTED. THESE MINORITIES ARE BOTH UNDERREPRESENTED IN MANAGEMENT JOBS AND UNDEREMPLOYED.
Abstract
ASIAN AMERICANS REMAIN FOR THE MOST PART INELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN SPECIFIC AFFIRMATIVE RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS. DUE TO THE INADEQUACY OF THE 1970 CENSUS FIGURES UPON WHICH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR ASIAN AMERICANS ARE CALCULATED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE UNEMPLOYMENT LEVEL OF ASIAN AMERICANS. THIS URBAN ASSOCIATES, INC. STUDY FOUND GRAVE UNDEREMPLOYMENT IN THESE GROUPS, AS WELL AS A LACK OF VISIBILITY AT DECISIONMAKING LEVELS AND IN UPWARD MOBILITY IN GENERAL, AND LOWER SALARIES THAN WHITE COUNTERPARTS. CURRENT EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS OF ASIAN AMERICANS ARE (1) THE STEREOTYPED IMAGE GIVEN THEM BY WHITE SOCIETY, (2) THE SEEMING INABILITY TO BREAK THROUGH LESS TRADITIONAL FIELDS SUCH AS THEATER ARTS, AND (3) THE LANGUAGE PROBLEMS OF RECENT IMMIGRANTS. MOST ASIAN AMERICANS INTERVIEWED CONCEDED THAT THEIR JOB POSITION WAS BETTER THAN THAT OF BLACK AMERICANS, BUT MAINTAINED BLACKS WERE MORE VISIBLE THAN ASIANS IN HIGH-LEVEL JOBS AND IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS, MUSIC, THEATER, AND FILMS. SOME BELIEVED THAT, ALTHOUGH MINORITY HIRING PROGRAMS ARE HELPFUL, MOST PERSONS HIRED UNDER SUCH PROGRAMS WERE BLACKS AND HISPANICS. HOWEVER, VARIOUS ASIAN AMERICAN PRESSURE GROUPS RECENTLY HAVE EMERGED TO FIGHT FOR ASIAN AMERICAN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE ARTICLE IS ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS.