The report describes the design of opportunity-expanding and equitable career progression systems for hourly paid industrial workers in two midwest plants, and the organizational (corporate, plant, union) barriers to changes in existing systems. These were shown to be restricting and often inequitable. The report concludes that theoretically sound progression models can be designed but that implementation of anything other than training and counseling calls for a different state of "readiness" than that found in the two plants. Most probably, the report states, this can only be achieved if the top corporate and International Union officials, jointly, work with plant and local union officials to change seniority clauses in the collective bargaining agreement and plant customary practice. The rationale for the work described in the report was that the design and introduction of career progression systems within a major multi-plant manufacturing corporation would provide high visibility for a successful project, providing insight into transferability of career progression designs from plant to plant and deal with problems fundamental to the effective utilization of the labor force in the United States. (Author/MW)