Full Utilization Employment Attitudes Important

By Laurel Hume
Post Staff Writer

Editor�s note: This is the second series on the Affirmative Action Program at Crown Zellerbach.

When Andy Davis was hired by Crown Zellerbach in 1957, he was one of about five black employees.

At the end of 1973, 105 minority employees were counted including Negroes, Orientals, American Indians, Spanish-surname Americans and Islanders.

Davis agrees “100 percent” with Crown�s Affirmative Action. The state goal of the program is to “affirmatively seek in every possible way to recruit members of minority groups as employees of the company and to move them into all levels and locations of the organization.”

A person is received in individual merit rather than on the basis of the color of his skin or how he parts his hair,” Davis explained. Davis works in the bag factory machine shop.

An optimistic, confident person, Davis feels attitude is the key to acceptance and advancement.

“Attitudes have a lot to do with it. An individual has to be able to represent himself and sell himself to other people. Otherwise you�ll run into a handicap.”

Emphasizing that he speaks from an individual standpoint, Davis commented that “CZ is like anywhere else. People are after positions. I recognize that opposition.”

“Most people treat me warmly, ” Davis said. “Some might have a little resentment. Basically speaking, I try to treat people as I would want to be treated.”

Noting that workers may try to protect themselves from those who are different in some way, Davis believes that “the better part of the person can be brought out.”

In certain areas of the mill, a tokenism exists, he said.

“I have seen some traits of tokenism, but with your attidue and personality you can overcome it.”

Davis feels he can be himself on the job “the biggest percentage of the time.” He doesn�t feel a mental pressure to advance to a white collar job.

Although Davis could recall “one or two” instances of name-calling, one of those resulted in a friendship. A co-worker unintentionally made a comment with a racial overtone, later apologized to Davis and the two became good friends.

“Now black people are proud they�re black,” Davis said, explaining that they used to resent being called names such as “blackie.”

Davis began his employment with Crown as an extra board employee. Two weeks later he was working on clean-up in the napkin department, then advanced two months later to be an operator-adjuster in the department.

Working nights, he studies machine shop technology at Clark College during the days for three years. When there was an opening on the maintenance crew, Davis “worked furiously” to become a journeyman and succeeded four years ago.

He enrolled in a business management course in 1968 and finished in �72. Presently in a training program to determine his potential and leadership ability, Davis is “getting a stab” at maintenance planning, management, and supervision.

Born in Alabama, Davis� family moved to the Portland-Vancouver area during World War II. Davis considers the Vancouver area his home.

“I love meeting people,” he summed up. “I love talking to people even if I�m disagreeing with them. I�ve had very few disappointments.”