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John F. Kennedy on Jobs
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1962: National security excludes unions at FBI & CIA
The federal government has unionized employees, but in 1962 President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order that excluded the FBI and CIA from collective bargaining for national security reasons, and allowed Cabinet secretaries to exclude other
units for the same reason. In 1978, Congress wrote that declaration into legislation, which Pres. Carter signed into law. In 2002, Democrats insisted that every part of the new Department of Homeland Security be subject to collective bargaining.
Source: Courage and Consequence, by Karl Rove, p.311
, Nov 2, 2010
Got union to lower wages; got Big Steel to lower prices
"As goes steel, so goes inflation" was an accurate epigram. On April 10, however, the giant United States Steel Corporation suddenly announced an immediate increase of $6 a ton in the price of steel, four times the cost of the new labor agreement.
Five other steel companies quickly fell into step.Kennedy was furious, believing that there had been an implicit agreement by industry leaders to hold prices steady if the workers made concessions.
The administration had convinced union leaders to drop their seventeen-cent-an hour proposal on the understanding that all parties concerned were helping to contain inflation to improve the nation's competitive position abroad.
Jack thought he had been double-crossed and knew that if he failed to resist the price increase he would be in deep trouble with labor, a vital backer of the Democratic Party.
Source: A Question of Character, by Thomas Reeves, p.330
, Dec 10, 1997
1961: Added 13-week unemployment benefits in recession
On Feb. 2, 1961, Kennedy proposed legislation to add a temporary 13-week supplement to unemployment benefits, to extend aid to the children of unemployed workers, to redevelop distressed areas, to increase Social Security payments and encourage earlier
retirement, to raise the minimum wage and broaden its coverage, to provide emergency relief to feed grain farmers and to finance a comprehensive home-building and slum clearance program. These 7 measures became law by the end of June, 161 days of action.
Source: "Kennedy" by Ted Sorensen, p. 397
, Jan 1, 1965
1890s Jewish immigrants formed first Garment Workers Unions
At the turn of the century the Jews fleeing persecution in Russia came in such numbers that they could not be so readily absorbed into the mainstream of life as the earlier comers. They clustered in Jewish communities within the large cities, like
New York.Like the Irish and the Italians before them, they had to work at whatever they could find. Most found an outlet for their skills in the needle trades, as garment workers, hatmakers and furriers.
Often they worked in sweatshops. In an effort to improve working conditions (which involved child labor and other forms of exploitation), they joined with other immigrant workers to form, in 1890, the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union.
In time, they developed the clothing industry as we know it today, centered in New York but reaching into every small town and rural area. The experience and tradition of these pioneers produced many effective leaders in the labor movement.
Source: A Nation of Immigrants, by John F. Kennedy, p. 30
, Jan 8, 1963
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2013
