Health Education and Welfare-related documents

              complete
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT MEDICAL COLLEGE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
June 21, 1969
The Honorable Robert H. Finch
Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare
330 Independence Avenue
Washington, 25, D. C.
Dear Mr. Secretary:
As you know, on March 17,  1969, the Medical College of South Carolina
discharged twelve black employees because they abandoned patients under their
care.   Three days later, a local hospital union organized a strike against the
Medical College Hospital and that strike is still in progress.   On April 3,  1969,
an individual who identified himself as a union organizer sent a telegram to the
Atlanta Office of your Department, complaining of the discharge of the twelve
employees.   Several days later two representatives of your Atlanta Office visited
the hospital to investigate the complaint of the union organizer.
On June 3,  1969, in the presence of several witnesses, I was advised
by Dr.  Hugh A. Brimm and Mr. Owen P. Kiely that the Medical College was not
considered to be in compliance with Executive Order 11246, that it would be
required to adopt "an Affirmative Action Compliance Program", and that as a
first step in such a program it would be necessary for the College to re-hire
the twelve persons discharged on March 17,  1969, and that the College pay
them back wages.   In a good faith effort to resolve the dispute and to eliminate
any further uncertainty with respect to the efficient operation of the College and
its Hospital, I agreed to rehire the twelve, provided that the'Department's
representatives state such a "recommendation" in writing.   I emphasized that
I could not commit the College to payment of back wages.   In response to my
letter of June 4,  1969, Dr. Brimm made such a "recommendation".    Copies of
my letter of June 4, 1969 and Dr. Brimm's letter of June 5,  1969 are attached.
After a conference with the Board of Trustees of the Medical College of
South Carolina an offer to rehire the twelve employees was made, on June 9,
1969; however, the offer was not accepted and the people involved continued
to insist, among other things, that the Medical College recognize and bargan
with a union.   Thereafter, on Thursday, June 12,  1969, the offer to rehire the
twelve former employees was withdrawn, at 5:00 P. M. on that date.
80 BARRE STREET / CHARLESTON. SOUTH CAROLINA 29401 / PHONE 803 792-2211