November [20,] 1970, Retail Clerks International Union

(Huebner/Hirshfield) JK November 19 1970 SUGGESTED REMARKS FOR VISIT TO RETAIL CLERKS INTERNATIONAL UNION Background: The Retail Clerks International Association has 600, 000 mem- bers in 243 locals. It was founded in 1888. Mr. James Suffridge, after whom "Suffridge House" is named, is President Emeritus of the Union and a member of the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1909 and has been a member of the Union since 1934. Suffridge House is about one year old. It is the international head- quarters for the Union and houses about 150 employees. Note that the clerical office staff of the Association belongs to another union the Office and Professional Employees Union but the supervisory employees are members of Retail Clerks International. The RCIA has given out seven honorary memberships in the past. They went to President Truman, George Meany, Dean Rusk, Hubert Humphrey, Senator Douglas and Labor Secretaries Mitchell and Tobin. I feel especially close to the members of this Union. For one thing, I am proud to call Mr. James Suffridge a long-time friend and supporter. But more than that, I feel close to the Retail Clerks union because I spent many long hours in my youth as a "retail clerk" in my father's grocery store. My wife also worked as a clerk - - at a bank and later in a depart- ment store. We know what a difference this union has made in the lives of its members and I am happy for this chance to salute you. If there was any single lesson I learned from working for my father in his store it had to do with "the dignity of labor. " My parents were proud of the fact that they worked hard at whatever task confronted them and they taught their children to respect those who work hard in every