European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday july 25, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 9 run into question of representation presents problem Jerusalem apr casting doubt on new Hopes for Middle East peace talks israeli and palestinian leaders appeared wednesday to reject a . Compromise on who would represent the palestinians at the negotiating table. The development came a Day after prime minister Yitzhak Shamir said he was hopeful peace talks with Arab states could Start within two months under a plan pushed during a weekend visit by Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii. At the Core of the conflict Over representation is Arab East Jerusalem which Israel annexed after seizing it in the 1967 Middle East War. Israel says the presence of a palestinian negotiator from East Jerusalem would create the impression that israelis claim to the entire City is negotiable. Palestinians say not having a Delegate from the City would be tantamount to giving up their claim to East Jerusalem. The United states has proposed a number of compromises. One would exclude palestinians from East Jerusalem from the opening rounds of peace talks and then allow them to join the later stages of negotiations. Another would allow participation by a palestinian bom in East Jerusalem but who lives elsewhere. Palestinians who met with Baker Over the weekend said wednesday that they will not Budge from their demand for an East Jerusalem negotiator. A Jerusalem is part of the occupied territories and there is no Compromise a Faisal Husseini a spokesman for the palestinians said in an interview. He said Israel will be to blame if negotiations never get off the ground. A if they the israelis want to explode the talks let them do it. We Are not responsible for the  the israelis were equally Adamant. A Jerusalem is part of the state of Israel and not something that concerns the residents of Judea Samaria and Gaza a Justice minister Dan Meridor told Israel army radio wednesday. Judea and Samaria Are the biblical names for the occupied West Bank. Asked whether an cast Jerusalem resident  second stage of negotiations was acceptable Meridor said a i certainly Don t think  the israelis have said they will not respond to Baker s formula for peace talks until the Issue of the palestinian delegation has been settled. The question of palestinian representation Sank last year s american peace initiative. Shamir said monday that the americans assured him that Only palestinians from the West Bank and a a strip would be accepted As negotiators.. Workers accuse japanese firms of Bias by the Cox news service Washington a americans formerly employed by japanese owned companies in the United states complained to a congressional panel tuesday that the companies routinely violate . Laws governing discrimination in hiring and employment. Their complaints in sworn testimony to a House government operations subcommittee elicited outrage from the chairman rep. Tom Lantos a Calif. A was a nation we Welcome japanese investment but we cannot and will not allow japanese companies in the process to flout our values and principles or violate our labor civil rights and non discrimination Laws a he said. Witnesses As Well As members of Lantos subcommittee praised the employment policies of such Well known japanese companies As Sony Toyota and Honda but said other firms discriminate against americans on a daily basis. Lantos acknowledged that Federal agencies responsible for monitoring compliance with . Employment Laws Lack statistical data to measure the extent of the problem. Nevertheless he said there a appears to be an increasing number of workers charging employment discrimination by japanese companies operating in the United states. One witness described How recruit Usa. And Tran world recruit two japanese employment agencies that shared offices in los Angeles used a coding system to identify Job applicants by race sex and age. Paul Schmidtberger who worked for recruit Usa in 1987 and 1988, said the agencies used a a Damn to identify american men a a even for american women a Cha duo for japanese men a mar Ikon for japanese women a a Maria for hispanic women and a a Marianne for Black women. He said suite numbers were used to communicate age preference. So for example a request coded a talk to Mariko suite 2035�?� indicated that the employer had requested a japanese woman age 20 to 35. Susan Minushkin an employee of Nikko securities from january 1985 until 1987, said there is a institutional discrimination against women and non japanese workers in japanese owned companies. She said non japanese employees Are regarded As a marginal Quot and that americans Are a forced to show respect and a Type of subservience to All japanese employees at the  a i think we arc opening up an ugly chapter in .-Japancse relations a Lantos said. A it will not be closed until discrimination by japanese companies against . Citizens comes to an  states tackle burning Issue of Job Bias against smokers fleeing mudslides villagers living near it. Pinatubo struggle As they carry a treasured statue of Buddha to safety tuesday. Residents were forced to flee after heavy rain from a tropical storm triggered mudslides of volcanic debris. The flooding began monday followed by Walls of mud that tumbled Down the Volcano burying thousands of Homes and killing at least five people. By Jan by Scott. Los Angeles times the War Over tobacco smoking is shifting from restaurants and air planes to corporate personnel offices As states take up the vexing question of whether employers May refuse to hire smokers. Behind the trend is the relentless Rise in the Cost of medical care which has left employers scrambling to rein in runaway insurance premiums. At the same time Public intolerance of smoking appears to have reached a record High. On either Side of the scrimmage Are seemingly unlikely allies the tobacco Industry and the american civil liberties Union have joined forces often with organized labor while anti smoking activists have teamed up with Chambers of Commerce. So far perhaps 23 states have adopted some form of Law protecting smokers against discrimination in hiring terms of employment and firing. The Laws do not defend smoking in the workplace they simply seek to protect what employees do on their own time. In just As Many other states similar Bills have been blocked. In California former gov. George Deukmejian vetoed a smokers rights Bill in 1989. He called the legislation unnecessary saying at least one court had ruled that smokers May sue for wrongful dismissal. New a a smokers rights Bills Are pending in Many states. Lewis Maltby of the Acle said a we done to think your employer owns you. Your employer has a right to expect you to do your Job Well and respect the rules but they done to have a right to run your private  it is not known How Many . Companies refuse to hire smokers. Turner broadcasting system inc., with 5,000 employees is one. Under a policy approved by employees in 1986, Turner requires All new hires to sign a no smoking agreement. New employees who smoke Are Given 30 Days to quit and Are offered free smoking cessation classes on company time. Smokers hired before the policy began May continue to smoke in designated areas at work. The aim is a healthy work Force not lower costs Turner spokesmen say. William m. Shaw of Turner broadcasting system inc. Said a we As a company should have the right to select who we hire and they have the right to accept the Job or not. We re not trying to impose anything on anyone. We just have conditions of  the new York based department store Chain Fortu Noff is being sued Over its policy said to be aimed at preventing accidental fires that surreptitious smoking might cause. And in Wabash ind., Janice Bone was fired after the Ford meter Box co. Detected nicotine in her urine. Supporters said such policies Benefit All workers As Well As the company by protecting their health and holding Down insurance rates. They argue that such policies Are in keeping with . Labor Law and the idea that employers May hire and fire at will. A what havoc this smokers rights Bills could wreak on the whole foundation of . Labor Law a said William Weis a Seattle University professor. A it suggests that any special interest group could go to a state where you can buy Legislatures and elevate the Choice to have hair on ones face to a civil  critics of no smoking policies said employers have no right to control what their employees May do legally in the privacy of their Homes. A your belief is that All lifestyle decisions ought to be protected unless they affect Job performance a said Maltby director of the aclus National workplace rights office. A a and we see no reason to confine this Protection to smokers. Whether somebody chooses to smoke drink Beer or Fly a hang glider really ought to be up to  the deluge of smokers rights Bills is Likely to continue aggressively backed by the forces of tobacco Industry lobbyists. And the hyperbole is unlikely to Abate. A Are we going to Start monitoring How Many charcoal grilled hamburgers they re going to have on the fourth of july weekend a asked Brennan Dawson of the tobacco Institute a and fire them if they have one and the employer is a vegetarian a