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Honored tonight for his dedicated efforts to defend and protect the rights of entertainment industry workers across the nation, John J. Sweeney in an unflagging advocate for America's working men and women, speaking out for good jobs, health care, retirement security, corporate accountability, rights and respect. First elected president of the AFL-CIO in October 1995, Sweeney has revitalized the 13 million member labor federation, which is comprised of 64 affiliated unions.
Under Sweeney's guidance, the entertainment unions gathered together for the first time to assess the entertainment industry and tackle necessary restructuring and reforms within the unions. He has commissioned studies to better understand how working people in the arts and entertainment industries can create and maintain good jobs. Sweeney led the AFL-CIO in support of vital industry issues, such as the 7-year contract rule and the critically important FCC rules changes.
Under his leadership, the AFL-CIO has led the fight against corporate excesses and abuses, winning $70 million in back pay for the laid-off Enron and Worldcom workers in bankruptcy court. The AFL-CIO is leading the fight against rules for globalization that protect corporations but not working people, and is waging major campaigns for good jobs, health care, retirement security and a change in America's priorities.
In 1980, Sweeney was elected president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which grew from 625,000 to 1.1 million members during his 15 years of leadership.
Sweeney was elected president in 2000 of the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), an international organization with consultative status at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). TUAC's affiliates represent 70 million workers and include more than 55 national trade centers in 29 countries. The OECD coordinates worker and union input to the G8 economic summits.
Sweeney's first job in the labor movement was as a research assistant with the International Ladies Garment Workers, which later merged with the Clothing and Textile Workers Union to form UNITE. In 1961, he joined SEIU as a union representative for New York City Local 32B. Sweeney was elected president of Local 32B in 1976, and led two citywide strikes of apartment maintenance workers during the 1970s.
In 1996, he authored America Needs A Raise: Fighting for Economic Security and Social Justice. He co-authored Solutions for the New Work Force in 1989, and co-edited the UNA-USA Economic Policy Council's Family and Work: Bridging the Gap in 1987.
Sweeney graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY with a degree in economics. He holds honorary degrees from Oberlin College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the University of Baltimore, and Catholic University Law School..
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