Home
Search transcripts:    Advanced Search
Notable New     Yorkers
Select     Notable New Yorker

Moe FonerMoe Foner
Photo Gallery
Transcript

Session:         Page of 592

Q:

But to go forward with the period after the election of Georgianna [cross talk] probably be a little earlier.

Foner:

All right. I think some of it is in there. I think, but I can't swear to it. I think. I'm not sure.

Q:

Well, let me ask you this. When divisions arose between some of the Save Our Union people and former officers like Dennis and Davis and Georgianna, were they policy questions or was it personality questions or what was the nature of the --

Foner:

They were both personality and organizational. They were personality problems.

Q:

Mostly personality?

Foner:

Mostly personality problems. It reached a point where Georgianna revolted, said, “I can't take this anymore.” Her mother was sick. She was having trouble with her health. She felt that she didn't have what it takes. So she went into an alliance with Doris on the election. Then Georgianna was -- we considered her an opponent. She considered us opponents. I mean Dennis, etc., the leadership.

Q:

Then to '89, Dennis ran against her.

Foner:

Dennis ran against her, and that election we won very, very slightly, and I think that's in -- I don't know. Would that be -- okay. Well, what happened is that we needed funds for a campaign and press, etc., to mobilize for that, and the big event came when we got hold of David White. That was the crucial thing.

Q:

In the '89 election?

Foner:

I'll tell you why. David White had been a --

Q:

Former vice president.

Foner:

Former vice president, who had told us that we should not support Turner, that she didn't have anything on the ball, but he went with Turner, the race question, and he went with Turner and became a vice president. When he saw what was happening during that strike -- the strike was what?

Q:

'84.

Foner:

'84, His health was undermined. When he saw the parties at the hotel with expensive wines and expensive food and the workers





© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help