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1252684
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2/10/76 - Remarks at the Swearing-in Ceremony for William J. Usery, Jr. as Secretary of Labor
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1252684
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2/10/76 - Remarks at the Swearing-in Ceremony for William J. Usery, Jr. as Secretary of Labor
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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1252684
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10
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1976-02-10
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1976
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10
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1976-02-10
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 23, "2/10/76 - Remarks at the Swearing-in
Ceremony for William J. Usery, Jr. as Secretary of Labor" of the President's Speeches and
Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 23 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
SWEARING IN OF W.J. USERY, JR.
AS SECRETARY OF LABOR
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1976
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
MR. CHIEF JUSTICE
MR. VICE PRESIDENT
MR. SECRETARY-DESIGNATE
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
-1-
LET ME WELCOME YOU HERE TODAY
FOR THE SWEARING IN OF BILL USERY AS SECRETARY OF LABOR
-2-
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT BILL USERY
HAS OUTSTANDING QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS TREMENDOUS
RESPONSIBILITY.
WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK TO THE IMPRESSIVE
RECORD HE BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS IN SUCCESSFULLY MEDIATING
so MANY OF THE MOST DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX LABOR-MANAGEMENT
DISPUTES
-3-
HE IS TRUSTED AND RESPECTED BY LABOR AND MANAGEMENT ALIKE
BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF BOTH
-4-
FOLLOWING HIS SUCCESSFUL AND VAR IED WORK
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND
AEROSPACE WORKERS OF THE AFL-C IO,
BILL USERY
WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR
LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS IN 1969
-5-
IN FEBRUARY OF 1973, HE BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL
MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE
AND HE HAS SERVED
WITH DISTINCTION AS MY SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR
LABOR-MANAGEMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
-6-
BILL USERY ASSUMES LEADERSHIP OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AT A TIME OF SPECIAL CHALLENGE
LABOR CONTRACTS COVERING NEARLY TWICE AS MANY
WORKERS AS LAST YEAR ARE COMING UP FOR RENEWAL.
KEY INDUSTRIES ARE INVOLVED, SUCH AS RUBBER TRUCKING
AUTOS
ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURI ING AND CONSTRUCTION.
-7-
THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAM OF STEADY,
BALANCED ECONOMIC RECOVERY WILL DEPEND PARTLY ON
REACHING COMMON SENSE LABOR AGREEMENTS WITHOUT
PROLONGED, MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES AND WITHOUT
INFLATIONARY SETTLEMENTS
-8-
ONE OF OUR TOP NATIONAL PRIORITIES
IS FINDING MORE JOBS FOR MORE AMERICANS.
WE MUST GENERATE REAL, PERMANENT, FULFILLING JOBS --
NOT GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED JOBS THAT MAKE WORK,
BUT DO NOT MAKE A FUTURE -- EITHER FOR AMERICA OR AMERICANS.
-9-
PERMANENT JOBS HAVE TO BE GENERATED
BY THE STEADY, BALANCED GROWTH OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
WHERE FIVE OUT OF SIX JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE TODAY.
-10-
THIS STEADY APPROACH IS ALREADY YIELDING
CONVINCING RESULTS:
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT HAS RISEN
BY MORE THAN 2 MILLION JOBS SINCE LAST MARCH,
AND JANUARY SAW THE LARGEST MONTHLY DECLINE IN THE JOBLESS
RATE IN OVER 16 YEARS -- DOWN FROM 8.3 PERCENT TO
7.8 PERCENT
WE EXPECT THIS GOOD TREND TO CONTINUE.
-11-
IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL CONTINUE PROVEN
JOB TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS / AS WE WORK OUR WAY
TOWARD COMPLETE RECOVERY
I KNOW BILL USERY
HAS HAD A LONG-STANDING INTEREST IN HELPING UNEMPLOYED
YOUNG PEOPLE AND VETERANS -- AS WELL AS ALL OTHER
AMERICANS WHO WANT JOBS AND CAN'T FIND THEM
-12-
THIS IS A PRIME NATIONAL PRIORITY
WE WILL NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF
BILL, I LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU IN ACHIEVING THESE GOALS
CHIEF
AND NOW JUSTICE BURGER WILL ADMINISTER
THE OATH OF OFFICE
END OF TEXT