Word: wurf
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...slightly younger and far more aggressive leaders are rising in prominence on the council and talking of new organizing drives, new methods of enhancing labor's political push. Among them are Sol Chaikin, 60, president of the International Ladies' Garment Workers; William Winpisinger, 53, chief of the Machinists; Jerry Wurf, 59, head of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). But the new leaders will have to cope with powerful economic and social forces that have been reducing union power through the post-World War II period. The main problem areas...
...Wurf's foghorn voice offers even more hope. In the 14 years that he has been president of the AFSCME, he has quadrupled its membership to just over 1 million, and signed up people thought to be particularly difficult to organize: white-collar workers, women, blacks. His main pitch: an insistence that union membership is the passport not just to better pay but also to "dignity" for workers who, he contends, were long "at the mercy of irresponsible politicians...
...Though Wurf has not hesitated to lead illegal strikes to win union recognition, he is now striving to set a statesmanlike tone. He proclaims himself "anxiously ready" to negotiate ways to improve the productivity of government employees, even if that includes reducing their numbers by attrition. He is actively pushing laws to give most government workers a choice of submitting disputes to arbitration, rather than striking, and to make arbitration compulsory for cops, firemen and other public-safety workers. Instead of simply decrying the tax revolt, as Meany does, Wurf calls for reforms: cuts in property taxes...
...Wurf, however, concedes that he has no chance of becoming AFL-CIO president, and some other new leaders do not go along with his moderation. Winpisinger is so frustrated by labor's loss of power that he hints darkly at a resort to violence. Says he: "In my lifetime, no group has ever gotten justice in this country without lawlessness. So if we want to see change, then we may have to stop having such a high regard for law-and-order...
...Winpisinger is expected to be a catalyst for change. At least four members are likely to vote with him to reform AFL-CIO policies: Murray Finley, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers; Sol Chaikin, president of the Ladies Garment Workers; Glenn Watts, chief of the Communications Workers, and Jerry Wurf, head of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Two more possible recruits for a liberal coalition are Lloyd McBride, new president of the United Steelworkers, and Douglas Fraser, who is expected to lead the United Auto Workers back into...