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United Federation of Special Police and Security Officers, Inc.
From: Robert D. Gordon Secretary/Treasurer UFSP&SO Sunday,
August 10,2008 IT IS INDEED AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO ADDRESS THIS DELEGATION. IT WILL
BE 30 YEARS THIS COMING FEBRUARY AND TO PRESENT TO YOU THE HISTORY OF THE
FORMATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNIFORM POLICE ASSOCIATION HAS A LONG
HISTORY THAT GOES BACK TO THE LATE 50”S. IN 1962 MY DEPARTMENT BECAME A
MEMBER OF WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.. THIS
ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED BY A GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO MET IN
WASHINGTON TO LOBBY CONGRESS TO INCLUDE OUR NATIONS POLICE OFFICERS UNDER
THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. IT WAS THEN DECIDED BY THIS GROUP TO FORM A
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TO PURSUE FURTHER LOBBYING THE CONGRESS FOR INCLUSION
UNDER THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
EFFECT OUR NATIONS POLICE OFFICERS. AS THESE HANDFUL OF POLICE
ASSOCIATIONS LEADERS REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO ACTIVE NATIONAL POLICE
ASSOCIATION LOOKING OUT FOR THE INTEREST OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP. ROYCE
LED THE INTERNATIONAL UNTIL 1971 WHEN HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS RETIRING
AND A SEARCH BEGAN FOR HIS REPLACEMENT. THE PRESIDENT OF THE 70,000 MEMBER
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NEW YORK APPROACHED ME AND ASKED IF I
WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEKING THE POSITION AS I WAS THE TREASURER, AND
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK POLICE CONFERENCE AS WELL AS THE PAST
TREASURER, VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF MY ASSOCIATION IN FREEPORT NEW
YORK, AS WELL AS THE TREASURER OF THE NASSAU COUNTY
POLICE CONFERENCE WHICH COMPRISED OF 26 POLICE ASSOCIATIONS. I HAD
ALSO LOBBIED OUR STATE LEGISLATORS ON LEGISLATION EFFECTING POLICE
OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. I THEN ATTENDED THE WINTER BOARD MEETING OF
THE INTERNATIONAL IN MIAMI, FLORIDA TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD MEMBERS .WAS TO BE INTERVIEWED BY A THREE MEMBER PANEL OF VICE
PRESIDENTS FROM WASHINGTON D.C., N.Y.C. AND TORONTO, CANADA FOR THE
POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AS WELL AS BOB KLIS MET FROM WISCONSIN WHO
WAS A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND JOHN CANNON, A RETIRED
LIEUTENANT FROM THE WASHINGTON D.C. POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE FOLLOWING DAY
THE THREE MEN PANEL MADE THE CHOICE FOR THEIR CHOICE FOR THE POSITION BY A
VOTE OF 2-1 TO OFFER ME THE POSITION ON A SIX MONTH TRIAL BASIS. I
ACCEPTED AT WHICH TIME IT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE DELEGATES TO BE VOTED
ON AS A 3 YEAR CONTRACT AT THEIR CONVENTION IN JULY 1972, IN LAS VEGAS,
NEVADA. UNKNOWN
TO BUT A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS OF ED KIERNAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK
CITY POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD BE SEEKING
THE OFFICE OF A “FULL TIME” PRESIDENT AND MOVED TO AMEND THE BY-LAWS
TO INCLUDE THE POSITION OF A FULL TIME SALARIED PRESIDENT. PRIOR TO THE
CONVENTION I HAD TRAVELED TO LOS ANGELES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. THEY HAD EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN JOINING THE INTERNATIONAL. I THEN EXTENDED THEM AN INVITATION
TO ATTEND OUR CONVENTION IN JULYAS THEY HAD A MEMBERSHIP OF 9,000 MEMBERS.
AT THE CONVENTION, ED KIERNAN WAS SUCCESSFUL IN AMENDING THE BY-LAWS TO
HAVE A FULL TIME SALARIED PRESIDENT.
BY A CLOSE VOTE HE WAS ELECTED AS A FULL TIME PRESIDENT. THE
PRESIDENT OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION WHO HAD SUBMITTED
HIS APPLICATION TO JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL WITHDREW THE APPLICATION STATING
THAT THE INTERNATIONAL FROM THE FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT HE READ COULD NOT
AFFORD FULL TIME EXECUTIVES. FROM 1972 TO 1979 WE SAW THE ASSOCIATION GROW
TO SOME 190,000 MEMBERS. WHILE WE WERE INDEED LARGE IN NUMBERS, WE WERE
CONSTANTLY STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY AS OUR DUES WERE THE UNHEARD OF A
NICKEL. A MAN A MONTH AND EACH TIME I PRESENTED A BUDGET TO INCLUDE A
MODEST INCREASE OF 10 CENTS A
MEMBER THE NEW YORK CITY PBA
THREATENED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE ASSOCIATION IF THE DUES WERE RAISED. AS
THE LARGEST MEMBER ASSOCIATION THEIR DUES WOULD BE SOME $38,000 A YEAR. IF
IT WERE NOT FOR SEVERAL MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS AS THE CHICAGO POLICE
ASSOCIATION, HEADED BY JACK HAWKINSON, WHO WAS OUR EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT, GERRY CROWLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE
ASSOCIATION, BOB KUCTER FOR THE CLEVELAND POLICE ASSOCIATION, ALL OF WHOM
ADVANCED THE INTERNATIONAL 2 YEARS DUES , NONE OF US WOULD BE SITTING HERE
IN THIS ROOM TODAY. MOST ASSUREDLY,
WOULD HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. ALONG WITH FUNDS WE RECEIVED FROM OUR
PUBLICATION, THE “LAW OFFICER MAGAZINE”, WE CONTINUED TO SEE A SMALL
INCREASE IN OUR MEMBERSHIP. DURING
THIS PERIOD AFTER MANY MONTHS OF LOBBYING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AS THE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AS WE COULD
NOT AFFORD A LOBBYIST . WE SAW THE PASSAGE OF PUBLIC LAW 94-430 HR 366
SIGNED BY PRESIDENT GERALD FORD ON SEPTEMBER 29TH,
1976 IN THE ROSE GARDEN. IT PROVIDED
THE SURVIVORS OF POLICE AND FIRE FIGHTERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF
DUTY A FEDERAL PAYMENT OF
THEN $50,000 WHICH HAS NOW REACHED
$300,00 DUE TO INFLATION. I LOOK UPON THIS LEGISLATION AS THE BIGGEST
ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ENGAGED IN. AS IN MOST CASES,
SEVERAL SO CALLED NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS ALL CAME OUT OF THE WOOD WORK
CLAIMING IT WAS THEIR ASSOCIATION WHO HAD THE BILL PASSED. THE F.O.P.,
I.B.P.O. AND THE FLORIDA BASED AMERICAN FEDERATION OF POLICE. WAS RAN BY
GERALD ARRONBERG WHO RAN A SO CALLED
POLICE MUSEUM IN FLORIDA, WHO WAS
UNDER INVESTIGATION BY SOME 5 STATE
ATTORNEY GENERALS FOR THE FRAUDULENT FUND RAISING. IT WAS THE ICPA
WHO LOBBIED WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH AND TESTIFIED BEFORE THE
HOUSE JUDICIARY SUB COMMITTEE AND THE FULL COMMITTEE WHICH IS
A MATTER OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. ON MY WALL IN MY OFFICE I
PROUDLY DISPLAY THE COPY OF THE BILL THAT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT FORD.
ALSO, ONE OF THE PENS HE USED TO SIGN THE BILL AND A PICTURE OF MYSELF,
PRESIDENT ED KIERNAN, VICE PRESIDENT, JACK HAWKINSON TAKEN IN THE ROSE
GARDEN OF THE WHITE HOUSE THANKING
THE ICPA FOR THE EFFORTS IN SEEING THIS LEGISLATION BECOME LAW.
PRESIDENT KIERNAN AND I WERE A SHORT TIME LATER APPOINTED BY
PRESIDENT FORD TO A PANEL TO SET UP THE GUIDE LINES WITH THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION AS TO THE PAYMENT TO THE SURVIVORS
OF THE DECEASED MEMBER IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS. THE COVERAGE INCLUDED
CORRECTION OFFICERS, COURT PERSONAL SUCH AS JUDGES, COURT OFFICERS,
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND EMS AS WELL AS ALL FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS. DURING
THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1975 AND 1978 PRESIDENT KIERNAN CONSTANTLY BROUGHT UP
THE SUBJECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SEEKING A CHARTER FROM THE AFL-CIO WHICH
IS STRONGLY OPPOSED AS DID MANY OF THE PBA’S IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
NEW JERSEY AND CANADA. AT THAT TIME CANADIAN POLICE COULD NOT BE
AFFILIATED WITH ORGANIZED LABOR WHICH IS NOW CHANGED. MUCH TO THE STORY
THAT IT WAS PRESIDENT KIERNAN THAT FIRST SOUGHT TO JOIN THE AFL-CIO, IT
WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE N.Y.C. P.B.A., JOHN CASSESE IN 1965 WHO
MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFL-CIO. IT WAS GEORGE MEANEY REQUESTING A
CHARTER AND WAS TOLD THAT IF
HE COULD BRING IN THE ENTIRE
POLICE ASSOCIATIONS IN NEW YORK STATE AND NOT JUST THE THEN 21,000 NEW
YORK CITY POLICE THAT HE
WOULD CONSIDER HIS REQUEST. THERE WAS NO WAY THE REST OF THE PBA’S WOULD
CONSIDER JOINING THE AFL.. THE ISSUE OF A POLICE ORGANIZATION RECEIVING A
CHARTER WAS A DEAD ISSUE UNTIL THE MID 70’S. THE UNHEARD OF 4 MAJOR
POLICE STRIKES TOOK PLACE, SAN FRANCISCO, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ALBUQUERQUE
AND LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO WHICH I HEADED IN LAS CRUCES. WENT DOWN IN
HISTORY AS THE LONGEST POLICE STRIKE IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH LASTED 31
DAYS. DO TO THE FACT THAT NEW MEXICO WAS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE ALONG WITH
SOME OTHER 13 RIGHT TO WORK
STATES. ALL OF THE SOME 36 OFFICERS AS WELL AS 4 SUPERVISORS WERE FIRED BY
THE CITY AS WELL AS SOME 22 FIRE FIGHTERS WHO JOINED THE STRIKE OVER THE
FOLLOWING 4 MONTHS. WE WERE HOWEVER SUCCESSFUL IN ENDING THE WALK OUT IN ALBURQUERQUE WHEN THE CITY AGREED
TO A MEET AND CONFER STATUS WITH THE
ASSOCIATION.. I SPENT 4 DAYS IN TALKS WITH MAYOR ALLAIOTA AND THE LEADERS
OF THE S.F.P.O. REGARDING THE MANY GRIEVANCES THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAD
WITH THE CITY . REGARDING PAY
AND WORKING CONDITIONS WHICH WERE ALL RESOLVED IN FAVOR OF THE
ASSOCIATION, THUS ENDING THE STRIKE. THERE AFTER, OUR MEMBERS IN MEMPHIS
STRUCK THE CITY AND AT THE REQUEST OF THEIR PRESIDENT, DAVE BAKER, I WENT
TO MEMPHIS TO HELP NEGOTIATE THEIR DEMANDS WITH THE CITY FATHERS WHICH
FELL ON DEAF EARS.THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE AFL-CIO JOINED US IN THE
TALKS AND TOLD THE CITY FATHERS THAT UNLESS THE CITY MEET MOST OF THE
POLICE ASSOCIATION DEMANDS HE WOULD CLOSE DOWN THE CITY .IT INCLUDED
EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE WHICH NUMBERED IN THE THOUSANDS. NEEDLESS TO
SAY, THAT THE CLOUT THE STATE PRESIDENT OF THE AFL HAD CONVINCED THE CITY
FATHERS TO SETTLE THE STRIKE GIVING IN TO ALMOST EVERY DEMAND.WE EVEN HAD
SOME 30 SUPERVISORS REINSTATED WHO HAD JOINED THE WALK OUT. AFTER
WITNESSING THE CLOUT THAT THE AFL HAD IN DEALING WITH THE CITY IN SUPPORT
OF THE POLICE ASSOCIATION IN MEMPHIS I RETURNED TO WASHINGTON. I TOLD
PRESIDENT KIERNAN THAT I HAD CHANGED MY MIND ON SEEKING A CHARTER WITH THE
AFL AND THAT WE SHOULD SEEK SOME SUPPORT IN SEEKING AFFILIATION. WE THEN
APPROACHED A FRIEND OF ED KIERNAN AND MYSELF. THE PRESIDENT OF THE I.A.F.F.,
HOWIE MCCLENDON, WHO ALSO WAS A MEMBER OF THE AFL EXECUTIVE BOARD IF HE
WOULD SUPPORT OUR SEEKING A CHARTER WHICH HE WHOLE HEARTEDLY SUPPORTED.
DURING THIS INTERVAL WE THEN
BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY OF
JOINING THE AFL. WE BROUGHT THE MATTER
UP AT OUR CONVENTION IN TORONTO, CANADA WHERE 201 ASSOCIATIONS
ATTENDED. AFTER A MUCH HEATED DEBATE THAT LASTED ALMOST 4 HOURS A VOTE WAS
TAKEN. THE VOTE WAS 200 TO 200 AS THE CANADIANS OBTAINED
FROM VOTING, LEAVING A TIE VOTE. AT WHICH
TIME, UNDER OUR BY-LAWS, THE PRESIDENT CAST THE DECIDING VOTE IN
JOINING THE AFL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE WAS AN UPROAR FROM THOSE WHO
OPPOSED JOINING THE AFL AND SHOUTED THEY WOULD NEVER JOIN THE AFL. DO TO
THEIR THREATS AND OBJECTIONS, THE NEW YORK POLICE CONFERENCE AND THE NEW
JERSEY STATE PBA FILED A COURT INJUNCTION IN FEDERAL COURT IN WASHINGTON,
D.C., ATTEMPTING TO BLOCK THE AFFILIATION. ON MARCH 29TH, THE
JUDGE RULED IN FAVOR OF THE AFFILIATION.
OPENING THE DOOR FOR OUR POSSIBLE AFFILIATION. AS I PREVIOUSLY
STATED, HOWIE MCCLENDON PITCHED ON OUR BEHALF, AND ON FEBRUARY 12TH,
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM HOWIE ADVISING ME THAT THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF
THE AFL WOULD CONSIDER OUR REQUEST AT THEIR WINTER BOARD MEETING ON
FEBRUARY 25TH AND
ADVISED US TO BE AT THE MEETING IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. HOWIE MUST HAVE MADE A
GREAT PITCH FOR US. ON FEBRUARY 25TH AT 3:25 PRESIDENT MEANEY
CAME OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
AND ADDRESSED THE NEWS MEDIA. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LABOR UNION
HISTORY, A CHARTER WAS GRANTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF POLICE
ASSOCIATIONS. I, ED KIERNAN AND VICE PRESIDENT HAWKENSON WERE ELATED. WE
ALL AGREED IT WAS 100 YEARS IN THE MAKING AND WE WOULD RETAIN OUR OWN AUTONOMY
WITHIN THE AFL-CIO. WE THEN NOTIFIED ALL OF OUR MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF THE
GRANTING OF THE CHARTER BY THE AFL-CIO. FROM FEBRUARY UP UNTIL OUR
CONVENTION IN PHOENIX, WE
HEARD RUMORS OF ASSOCIATIONS WITH DRAWING FROM THE ICPA IF WE JOINED THE
AFL-CIO. UPON CONTACTING THOSE ASSOCIATIONS WHO SUPPORTED JOINING THE AFL,
A MEETING WAS HELD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO DISCUSS THE PENDING PULL OUT OF
THOSE ASSOCIATIONS OPPOSING THE AFFILIATION. IT WAS THEN DECIDED BY THOSE
ASSOCIATIONS SUPPORTING THE AFFILIATION THAT A
PLAN BE DEVISED. IF THERE WAS A MASS RESIGNATION OF ASSOCIATIONS
LED BY NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY THAT WE ALL RESIGN FROM THE ICPA AND FORM
THE ASSOCIATION WHICH IS THE I.U.P.A.. TRUE TO THEIR THREATS, THE NEW YORK
STATE POLICE CONFERENCE WITH 70,000 MEMBERS AND THE NEW JERSEY STATE P.B.A.
WITH SOME 30,000 MEMBERS WITHDREW FROM THE I.C.P.A. THAT MORNING WAS THE
BIRTH OF THE I.U.P.A.. AS WE ALL LEFT THE ROOM AFTER SUBMITTING OUR
RESIGNATIONS, INCLUDING OUR OFFICE STAFF AND WENT TO ANOTHER ROOM AND
INFORMED THE I.U.P.A., LEAVING THOSE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE I.C.P.A. IN SHOCK
AT THE RESIGNATIONS OF THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE BOARD. RETROSPECT, IT WAS A
BOLD MOVE AS WE LEFT BEHIND ALL OF THE RECORDS OF THE INTERNATIONAL, 7
ROOMS OF OFFICE FURNITURE, AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT USED BY THE OFFICE STAFF
WHICH OUR GENERAL COUNCIL ADVISED. WE HAD TO LOOK FOR A NEW OFFICE WHICH
WE FOUND 2 BLOCKS FROM THE CAPITOL. KEEPING IN MIND THERE
WAS NO MONEY TO DO ANY OF THIS AND NO PAY FOR OUR STAFF, PRESIDENT
KIERNAN AS WELL AS MYSELF FOR ALMOST 4 WEEKS UNTIL SEVERAL ASSOCIATIONS
SENT US THEIR DUES IN ADVANCE. UNFORTUNATELY, A MAJOR PROBLEM AROSE. WITH
THE AFL AS WHEN WE APPLIED FOR THE CHARTER WE HAD AROUND 200,00 MEMBERS
WHICH THE AFL WOULD RECEIVE
DUES ON THAT AMOUNT OF MEMBERS , WHICH I AM SURE WAS A MAJOR POINT FOR THE
AFL IN GRANTING US A CHARTER WITH THE DEFECTION OF NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY
AND CANADA. WE WERE LEFT WITH APPROXIMATELY SOME 32,000 MEMBERS. A FAR CRY
FROM 200,000. IN THE ENSURING YEARS LOST SEVERAL THOUSAND MORE. MONTHS
AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE I.C.P.A., THE GROUP WHO VOTED AGAINST THE AFL,
FORMED THE NOW N.A.P.O.. HEADED BY BOB SCULLY WHO WAS A VICE PRESIDENT
FROM DETROIT WHO OPPOSED THE AFFILIATION.. WHAT STARTED OUT FOR ME AS
ELATION IN JOINING THE AFL, SOON HAD ME THINKING IF I HAD MADE THE RIGHT
DECISION. JUST 22 DAYS OF SETTING UP OUR NEW OFFICES UNDER THE I.U.P.A., I
RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY/TREASURER OF THE AFL, TOM DONAHUE. WE
WERE BEING CHARGED WITH AN ARTICLE 20, WHICH AT THAT TIME
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL AN
ARTICLE 20 WAS. I CONTACTED HIM AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE
S.E.I.U., JERRY WURFF FILED THE ARTICLE 20 AGAINST US FOR RAIDING HIS
UNION WHICH WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE AFL-CIO BY-LAWS. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM
AS WHAT MEMBERS WE RAIDED HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE 4, AND I REPEAT 4
WESTCHESTER COUNTY NEW YORK, DISTRICT ATTORNEY INVESTIGATORS WHO WERE
MEMBERS OF THE SEIU. I WAS THEN TOLD IF I WISHED TO AVOID THE CHARGES, I
HAD TO RELINQUISH THE 4 MEMBERS, WHO I MIGHT ADD WERE MEMBERS OF THE
I.C.P.A. FOR OVER 7 YEARS. THEY WENT WITH US WHEN WE FORMED THE
I.U.P.A.. MY RESPONSE FELL ON
DEAF EARS. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO NOTIFY THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE REMOVED
FROM MEMBERSHIP. UPON LEARNING
WHAT THE S.E.I.U. DID,THE 4 INVESTIGATORS RESIGNED FROM THE S.E.I.U.
AND REJOINED THE I.U.P.A..
THE NEXT TWO YEARS I RECRUITED SOME 61 NEW ASSOCIATIONS. THE LARGEST BEING
THE ISLAND OF PUERTO
RICO WITH 8,000 MEMBERS AGAINST OTHER AFFILIATED AFL UNIONS SUCH AS THE
TEAMSTERS, S.E.I.P., U.A.F.SC.M.E., I.B.P.O., FOOD AND
COMMERCIAL WORKERS AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER SMALLER UNIONS AND THE
F.O.P.. WHY ANY POLICE OFFICER WOULD WANT TO AFFILIATE WITH THE FOOD AND
COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION WHICH REPRESENTS CLERKS AND RESTAURANT WORKERS IS
BEYOND ME. WHEN I WAS ATTEMPTING TO SIGN UP THE MARYLAND STATE
POLICE AT A HOTEL IN BALTIMORE I TANGLED WITH THE ORGANIZER FOR THE
FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION WHEN HE WAS AT THE SAME MEETING. I WAS
ASKED WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS INTO THEIR UNION, AS
WE WERE GIVEN THE CHARTER TO REPRESENT POLICE OFFICERS , HIS ANSWER WAS
AND I QUOTE: “ WE RECRUIT ANY ONE WHO
WALKS OR CRAWLS WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE AFL-CIO” NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE
MARYLAND STATE POLICE
STAYED INDEPENDENT. WE WERE THE NEWEST KID ON THE BLOCK AND COULD
NOT COMPETE WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED
UNIONS WHO HAD THE MONEY AND MEMBERSHIP TO PUT ON
BANQUETS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS TO RECRUIT POLICE ASSOCIATIONS. THE
LAST STRAW FOR ME BEING AFFILIATED WITH THE AFL-CIO WAS WHEN PRESIDENT
REGAN FIRED THOUSANDS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND REPLACED THEM WITH
MILITARY CONTROLLERS. PRESIDENT KIERNAN AND I WERE SUMMONED TO AFL-CIO
HEADQUARTERS ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE PRESIDENTS OF THE AFL UNION TO DISCUSS
THE STRATEGY IN SUPPORTING THE STRIKING CONTROLLERS AND THEIR UNION ON THE
PICKET LINES AT EVERY MAJOR AIRPORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
TO
PUT IT MILDLY, WHEN I STATED THAT IF OUR MEMBERS AT THE NATIONAL AND
DULLES AIRPORTS WHO WERE EMPLOYED BY THE FAA POLICE THAT ANY VIOLATIONS OF
LAW ON A PICKET LINE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE POLICE ACTION. ONE UNION
PRESIDENT FLATELY STATED THAT MY STATEMENT WAS THE REASON HIS UNION VOTED
AGAINST OUR AFFILIATION IN THE AFL-CIO, BECAUSE IT WAS A PROVEN FACT THAT
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT COPS WERE STRIKE BREAKERS.
FORTUNATELY, THE STRIKE ENDED WITHOUT ANY VIOLENCE . IT WAS THE END OF THE
THEN TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS UNION AS THEY LOST THE RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION
FOR THEIR CONTROLLERS UNDER FEDERAL LAW WHICH PROHIBITED STRIKES. IN 1982,
I WAS DEFEATED FOR RE-ELECTION AS SEVERAL WEST COAST LOCALS AND SEVERAL
FROM TEXAS. IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE. CONVENIENCE THE PRESIDENT OF THE
MEMPHIS POLICE ASSOCIATION WHO I HAD WORKED WITH TO BRING HIS STRIKE TO AN
END JUST 7 MONTHS BEFORE OUR CONVENTION IN LAS VEGAS AND HE WON THE
ELECTION. STRANGELY ENOUGH, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. HE RETIRED FROM
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MOVED TO WASHINGTON WITH HIS FAMILY AND IN JUST ONE
2 YEAR TERM IN OFFICE AS SECRETARY/TREASURER,
HE WAS VOTED OUT OF OFFICE. THIS COMING FEBRUARY, THIS UNION WILL
CELEBRATE ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE AFL-CIO. I WILL BE
COMPLETING 58 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT UNION ACTIVITY . WITH ALL
ITS UPS AND DOWNS I DOUBT IF I WOULD TRADE ONE DAY OF IT WITH MY
INVOLVEMENT IN THE I.C.P.A. AND THE I.U.P.A.. AS I HAVE BEEN AFFORDED MANY
OPPORTUNITIES THAT VERY FEW OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED. MET WITH 4 PRESIDENTS
OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE WHITE HOUSE, FLEW ON OLD AIR FORCE ONE, MET
WITH ALMOST EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND SENATE. HELPED TO SEE THE PASSAGE
OF 5 MAJOR BILLS TO BECOME LAW ALL WITHIN THE TIME OF THE 10 YEARS I WAS
THE EXECUTIVE OF THE I.C.P.A. AND THE FIRST SECRETARY/TREASURER OF THIS
GREAT UNION. AS THE LAST SURVIVOR OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF THIS UNION,
I WISH TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU SOME
INSIGHT ON THIS RATHER LEGETY
FACTUAL REPORT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY OWN P.B.A. AND THE COUNTLESS POLICE
UNION LEADERS WHOM I MET OVER THE YEARS, NONE OF WHAT I HAVE REPORTED
COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. TO SAM, DEEK AND TIM, I WISH TO CONGRATULATE
THEM AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD ON THEIR ELECTION AND THANK THEM FOR THE MANY
COURTIES THEY HAVE EXTENDED TO ME OVER THE PAST 28 YEARS AND FOR THIS HIGH
HONOR OF BEING DESIGNATED SECRETARY/TREASURER EMERITUS. ITS AN HONOR I
WILL CHERISH FOREVER. THANK
YOU ……..Robert
D. Gordon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Police
Week in Washington D.C. I attended the 15th Annual Top Cops Award Dinner sponsored by NAPO. I was honored at the Chairman’s Dinner seated at the head table. Chairman Craig Floyd, Executive Director of the Police Memorial announced that the United Federation of Police Officers, Inc., was the longest serving member and charter member of the Memorial 26 years. I was deeply moved by his announcement in front of more than 300 invited guests. I had the honor of being seated next to the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives Congressman Steny Hoyer whom I have known personally for close to 26 years a “true friend of Police Officers”. While at the Candle Light Ceremony I met Officer Sean O’Mally, a Police Officer in Ireland he stated that the Police just had legislation signed into law creating a Police Memorial for those officers killed in the line of duty. He must have been impressed with the information I provided him regarding our Memorial in Washington D.C. due to the fact he presented me with cuff links which I want you to have as a life long Irish American. The inscription on the cuff links state “Garda Siochana” Police Officers of Ireland. I would guesstimate that over 25,000 people attended the services this Police Week. Report from Bob
Gordon Secretary/Treasurer United Federation of Special Police and Security
Officers, Inc. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- National Police Week was truly remarkable for many reasons. I will provide a detailed account shortly. However, I wanted to highlight a significant milestone that was achieved last week on May 15. While thousands of us were gathered at the U.S. Capitol for the Peace Officers Memorial Day ceremony, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts was granting us final approval on the design for the National Law Enforcement Museum! To put this major milestone in some perspective, this review process started more than five years ago! A press release with the particulars is below. Please feel free to share this information with anyone else you think might be interested. Kudos to our architectural team led by Davis Buckley, and to our project manager Tom Gallagher for spearheading this very successful effort. One more box we can now check off. All the best, Craig W. Floyd Chairman and Chief Executive Officer National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 703-901-6867 (cell) - 202-737-3405 (fax) Help Build the National Law Enforcement Museum www.LawEnforcementMuseum.org - 866-446-NLEM (446-6536)
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The
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) has given its final stamp of
approval to the first-ever, Congressionally authorized national
museum dedicated to American law enforcement, which is scheduled
to open in the nation's capital in 2011.