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Moe FonerMoe Foner
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Session:         Page of 592

Foner:

RWDSU, take away our charter.

Q:

I think that you need to briefly explain, when you say “our,” whether you're talking about the national union or 1199.

Foner:

In that case I'm talking about the national union, the national union.

Q:

[cross-talk]

Foner:

Because 1199 is now headed by Doris Turner. So we are looking for an opportunity to become part of SEIU within this framework, because Doris -- well, Doris had a position on it. We knew she would not [cross-talk] Doris's position was that -- never stated, but, on the SEIU thing, just merging with an international, that if she was coming with it, she would be a little fish in a big pond of a union that was predominantly not all black and Hispanic. So that therefore, she was opposed to anything like a merger because it would reduce her power and influence. So she urged 1199 members to vote against the merger.

Q:

And at this point, 1199 was what percentage of the national union's 150,000 members? Probably around half?

Foner:

Probably about half.

Q:

This is 1982 or so.

Foner:

Yes. I'd say about half.

Q:

1983.

Foner:

Yes. A question of getting a vote that would be favorable that we arranged to work on, and we got it, and the vote was SEIU, except that in New Jersey and Philadelphia and one other place, I think, they voted --

Q:

Los Angeles?

Foner:

No.

Q:

Southern California?

Foner:

Maybe. So they voted for AFSCME.

Q:

That was the 1989 vote, when the national union dissolved?





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