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Moe FonerMoe Foner
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Session:         Page of 592

because they wouldn't let them work as pharmacists, working in the post office, but not as pharmacists. The union struck Harlem -- Adam Clayton Powell, Frank Crosswaithe, were involved with them, and they were able to organize and strike Harlem and get contracts and, more importantly, to get contracts that guaranteed that black pharmacists would work as pharmacists. That's why when the union was later in trouble in the Forties with an internal fight, the leaders of the union hid out in Harlem with the black pharmacists, because they were ready to die for the union. There were big battles going on.

Q:

Do you want to say little bit more about that?

Foner:

I wasn't there. It's in the history. I wasn't there. It's not fair for me to repeat. It's not firsthand, but it's there in the history and in the record. Put the record on tape. I mean it.

Where are we now? I don't know if I answered --

Q:

What you were talking about was just the advances that were made and the lively internal life of the union. So I think now, really, we're at the point where we can begin to discuss the decision to organize the hospitals. Does Godoff come before the decision is made or is he hired to do it?

Foner:

What happens is this. 1199 had shared headquarters at one time on Broadway with the United Public Workers. Working for the Public Workers at that time were Elliott Godoff and Frank Herbst.

Q:

Your old friend.

Foner:

His son is the senior editor at New York Magazine, the guy I went through to get the article. I haven't spoken to him since. Okay.

Q:

Frankie Herbst is your old friend.

Foner:

Yes, that's right, of course. Yes. So Davis and Frankie and Elliott knew each other. At that time the Public Workers represented hospitals.

Q:

The Public Workers was a left union.

Foner:

Yes. United Office and Professional Workers, but it was United Public Workers in New York. The Public Workers -- no, it's the United Public Worders. It's a different thing. It's the basis for AFSCME. AFSCME founds itself, really, the Public Workers have disappeared. That's another CIO union that went down the drain. They had hospitals. Davis and Godoff and Frankie, Davis told me they used to





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