Proceedings and Reports AFL-CIO COPE
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Proceedings and Reports 1978 Pre-Primary Election Convention of the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO COPE San Francisco, April 6, 1978 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION John F. Henning, Secretary-Treasurer 995 Market Street, San Francisco 94103 1614015 Officers of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO JOHN F. HENNING Executive Secretary-Treasurer ALBIN J. GRUHN President MANUEL DIAS General Vice President VICE PRESIDENTS, GEOGRAPHICAL District No. 1 District No. 8 Max J. Osslo Val Connolly District No. 2 District No. 9 M. R. Callahan Morris Weisberger Ray S. Mendoza Joseph R. Garcia District No. 3 Frank Souza Joseph Pinto Wm. G. Dowd Chester L. Midgen District No. 10 Jerry P. Cremins Richard K. Groulx Alfred K. Whitehead William Ward Cornelius Wall District No. 11 Ray M. Wilson Leo Mitchell District No. 4 District No. 12 Paul Miller Loretta Mahoney District No. 5 District No. 13 Edward Flores Harry Finks District No. 6 District No. 14 Willis F. Simons Raymond K. Nelson District No. 7 District No. 15 C. A. Green Lloyd J. Lea VICE PRESIDENTS, AT LARGE James P. McLoughlin John F. Crowley Dina G. Beaumont Steve Edney William R. Robertson Fred D. Fletcher William Waggoner Cass Alvin Hal Shean TABLE OF CONTENTS Proceedings of the 1978 Pre-Primary Convention .......................... 3-22 Endorsement Recommendations .............. ................. 7-21 Report of the Secretary-Treasurer ....................... 23-26 Roll of Delegates ....................... 27-33 PROCEEDINGS of the 1978 PrePrlmary Elecfion Convention of the Califomia Labor Federation, AFL*C10 (COPE) Thursday, April 6, 1978 Civic Auditorium San Francisco, California Call to Order effectively for a society that is just, that The 1978 Pre-Primary Election Conven- is free, that gives equal opportunity to all. tion of the California Labor Federation, "We ask this, Father, in the name of AFL-CIO, was called to order by President Your Son Jesus, Who died but rose again Albin J. Gruhn at 10:28 a.m. in the Civic and now lives forever and ever. Auditorium. "In the name of the Son and of the Holy President Gruhn then led the Convention Spirit." delegates in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Welcome to Delegates and Visitors Albin J. Gruhn Invocation President Reverend Monsignor James B. Flynn California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Chairman, Commission on Social Justice President Gruhn, Chairman of the Con- of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, vention, addressed the delegates and visi- St. Peter's Church tors: Monsignor James B. Flynn was intro- "As I welcome the delegates and guests duced by President Gruhn for the purpose to this 1978'Pre-Primary Election Conven- of giving the invocation. tion of the California Labor Federation of Monsignor Flynn spoke as follows: the AFL-CIO, I cannot help but reflect "In the name of the Father and of the upon the vital and important contribution Son and of the Holy Spirit. God of our that organized labor has made to the fathers, we are gathered here today at a political and legislative processes of our time when the hallelujahs of Easter still beloved country, our state and our local echo in our ears. We recall those events communities. and those truths by which You made us "Organized labor has been and must con- free. We are gathered here in the exercise tinue to be the 'Force for Progress' in the of that freedom. We glory in our country political and legislative arenas of our na- and the right which we enjoy to choose tion's free and democratic society. We freely the leadership of our government, cannot, we must not, fail in carrying out but with every right comes a duty to exer- this trust, not only in behalf of our mem- cise that right responsibly and for the com- bers and their families but also in behalf mon good. of all the people of this country. For,after "Help us today as we deliberate to be all, as President George Meany has said, responsible as well as free members of 'Organized labor is truly the people's our community. Let our choices be guided lobby.' not by narrow self interests, but by the "It is therefore not surprising that our needs of all our people. Let not our yard- free and great trade union movement has stick be, What can he or she do for me? been singled out for extinction by the anti- but rather which candidate will work most union, anti-people forces in this country. 3 The National Association of Manufacturers and a revision of the Hatch Act to allow (you have all heard of it) is one of the 2.8 million federal and postal workers the biggest organizations of businessmen in right to participate fully in the nation's this country. Well, the NAM recently start- political life by strengthening safeguards ed something. It launched what it calls the enjoyed by all other American citizens; Council on a Unionfree Environment. and as Secretary-Treasurer Henning has pointed out in his report (I shall just men- "Now think about that phrase: 'Union- tion a couple of issues in each case that free Environment'. What does it mean to are vitally important), the increasing in you? When we talk about a pollution free California of both unemployment insur- environment, what do we mean? We mean, ance benefits and permanent partial dis- Get rid of pollution. That is exactly what ability benefits, and extending collective the NAM means by 'Unionfree Environ- bargaining rights to state college and uni- ment': Get rid of unions! versity employees. "The goal isn't really a new one for the "Let us, therefore, at this pre-primary NAM. After all, it is the outfit that endorsement convention resolve to fight launched the infamous open shop drive at back against the dastardly attack upon our the turn of the century and fathered the Let us all so-called 'right to work' laws. The NAM free trade union movement. and its professional consultants are attack- work together in unity to help strengthen ing trade unionism at its roots. They want our local, state and national COPE's. to bust unions and shred their contracts. "Voter registration of union members "The attack on unions is political as and their families and our friends, the well. The last few years have seen a tre- issue of education of union members and mendous growth in right wing extremists, their families as well as getting out the political activity, growth in funding, which vote of union members and their families, far exceeds labor's financial input into must be given high priority in the days politics. and months ahead. "And the right wing is running registra- "Organized labor can win this fight tion campaigns among voters it has identi- against the anti-union attacks of the NAM fied as supporters of right wing, anti-union and the right wing extremists. But we causes and candidates. It sets up phone have to work hard at it. banks, handles publicity and media cam- "Let us always remember that 'In unity paigns, provides printed materials, gets there is strength' whether it be on the out the vote among its backers. This has economic or the political front! never been done before on such a wide scale and in such a well organized manner "Thank you." by the right wing extremists. Their target Appointment of is the trade union movement. Convention Committees "We must also face up to the fact that John F. Henning there are now about 450 corporate political Executive Secretary-Treasurer action committees and they will probably have around $25 million to dole out to Secretary-Treasurer Henning announced anti-labor candidates for the House and the committees of the Convention as ap- Senate this year. And putting it together pointed by President Gruhn. with right wing money, it would make a Committee on Credentials political war chest of about $50 million- almost all of it targeted for use in weaken- Chairwoman, Loretta Mahoney, Hotel, ing labor's economic, political and legisla- Motel and Bartenders and Restaurant Em- tive effectiveness on behalf of its mem- ployees No. 18, Santa Rosa. bers, their families and the people of this Val Connolly, Bartenders and Culinary nation. Workers No. 340, San Mateo. "There is much unfinished business on James W. Cross, United Telegraph organized labor's 1978 legislative agenda. Workers No. 34, San Francisco. For example, the National AFL-CIO is Edward Flores, Hod Carriers and Com- sponsoring legislation which is designed mon Laborers No. 585, Oxnard. to implement more effectively, rights guar- No. anteed to workers by streamlining NLRB Mattie Jackson, Dressmakers 101, procedures to end long delays and to penal- ILGWU, San Francisco. ize employers who flout federal labor law; Ernest King, Boilermakers No. 513, Rich- 4 mond. Central Labor Council, Stockton. Irene Lewis, Glass Bottle Blowers No. J. J. Rodrigues, Los Angeles County 82, Fremont. Federation of Labor, Los Angeles. Robert H. Medina, Construction and David L. Schultz, Hotel and Restaurant General Laborers No. 270, San Jose. Employees and Bartenders No. 681, Long R. R. Richardson, San Diego - Imperial Beach. Counties Central Labor Council, San Diego. Raoul Teilhet, Pasadena Federation of Robert Skidgel, Operating Engineers No. Teachers No. 1050, Pasadena. 3, San Francisco. Appointments Approved Willard L. Sward, Los Angeles Painters The motion to approve the appointments No. 5, Los Angeles. to the Committee on Rules and Order of Thomas Sweeney, Electrical Workers Business was seconded and carried. No. 595, Oakland. Chairman Gruhn then called on Loretta Alfred Thoman, Carpenters and Joiners Mahoney, chairwoman of the Committee No. 36, Oakland. on Credentials for a partial report.