Sweeney Group’s Bloodless Coup in 1997 Helped It Win Three Sham Re-Elections January 8, 2009 Labor's Voice for Change (2)
Immediately after winning the AFL-CIO presidency in 1995, John Sweeney and his allies on the Executive Council developed a strategy to expand their control over the labor federation and avoid any possible challenge to them in a future election. Read more of this column.
# # # World of Labor - January 3, 2009
World of Labor - January 3, 2009
Female Factory Workers in Korea Wage Three-Year Strike German Unions Warn of Strikes by 800,000 in Public Sector Immigrant Workers in Central Asia May Form Muslim Union French Unions Losing Influence in Economic Downturn Bangalore Faces Loss of 60,000 Jobs from U.S. Firms Taiwan Union Members Protest over Unpaid Leave Read these stories in World of Labor
# # # 'My Seventy Years in the Labor Movement' 10 Highlights of Harry Kelber's Unique Career
'My Seventy Years
in the
Labor Movement'
10 Highlights of Harry Kelber's Unique Career
1. During the Great Depression, Harry led a four-month strike at a major food market in Brooklyn, N.Y, that ended with a good union contract.
2. At age 25, Harry was editor of two independent weekly labor newspapers that covered CIO organizing campaigns, as well as the activities of teamster and construction unions.
3. At age 50, Harry earned a B.A. from Brooklyn College and an M.A. and PhD. from New York University - all within 5-1/2 years.
4. In the 1962-63 printers' strike that shut down New York City's daily newspapers for 114 days, Harry was editor of the Daily Strike Bulletin.
5. As the legislative director of the Physicians Forum, Harry played a key role in winning social security for the nation's doctors.
6. In 1968, Harry created and became the first director of Cornell University's Two-Year Labor/Liberal Arts Program.
7. In recognition of his distinguished teaching career, Empire State College created the Dr. Harry Kelber Endowment in Labor Studies.
8. At age 70, Harry became the Educational and Cultural Director of Electrical Workers Local 3, I.B.E.W., a position he held for nearly six years.
9. In 1992, Harry led a week-long seminar in Moscow for 145 labor leaders of the former Soviet Union on the theme, "Democratic Unions in a Market Economy."
10. In 1995, at age 81, Harry ran for a vice president seat on the AFL-CIO Executive Council to force the first election ever, in which a rank-and-filer challenged incumbent officers.
You will be fascinated by the stories surrounding each of Kelber's accomplishments $25 per copy (includes mailing) 370 pages - 8 pages of photographs Click here to purchase 'My Seventy Years in the Labor Movement.
Click here to purchase 'My Seventy Years in the Labor Movement.
Daily News, "Spotlight on Great People: His [Harry Kelber] 70-year battle for the rights of workers," by Clem Richardon, October 10, 2008 Read the article on Harry Kelber
Harry Kelber's poetic commentary on "CEO Lust," delivered at Labor Notes conference May 2006. You can see and hear Harry reciting his poem by clicking below.You can read Harry's poem by clicking here.