policy - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
The direction and character of the AFL-CIO was much influenced by
the personality of George Meany, who initially focused on the domestic
issues of pay and jobs and on the foreign issue, defense against communism.
It is to this constituency that President Nixon appealed for support
throughout his presidency, for he had included organized labor represented
A
by Meany, within his "new majority."
The
Vietnam war issue.
following section examines the position of labor on the
An accurate examination of this issue must note differences
between leadership and rank and g positions, further recognizing
that "labor" cannot be characterized as a monolithic body.
In 1965, it appeared that labor fully supported President
Johnson's decision to engage US forces in Vietnam.
Basic economic concerns
may have been operative as the war meant a gearing-up of industry and hence
more certainty in the job market.
The AFL-CIO Sixth Constitutional Convention
held
in 1965 heard numerous speeches by senior administration
officials and by George Meany lauding the president's handling of the
Domin~ican crisis. The meeting then turned to the Vietnam War. What little
concern there was for a deepening US involvement in Southeast Asia came
from two black labor leaders who forecast that American resources that had
been allogated to the 'Great Society' program would soon go instead to
support our Vietnam endeavors. Cleveland Robinson, black delegate to the
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, secretary-treasurer of
District 65, and vice president of the Negro American Labor Council
presented the problem:
I join with Brother Randolph in my fears that this
present conflict, now raging in Vietnam will be used as
the excuse to curtail even the little we are now
getting. 30/
Nevertheless, the compromise resolution issued by the AFLCI grne
labor's approval of the administration's Vietnam policies as it "endorsed
in advance all measures the administration might deem necessary to halt
Communist aggression and secure a just and lasting peace."31/
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