AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention, A.M. Session: George Meany Keynote Address, November 18, 1971

In this recording, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), George Meany, addresses a crowd at the AFL-CIO's annual convention. His speech recalls the previous and current Presidential administrations' economic plan, referred to as economic game plan number one, to fight inflation had not yet produced favorable results. Meany outlines that small businesses were damaged by high interest rates while the cost of living had gone up. Specifically, he points to Dr. Arthur Burns as playing a major role in the unfavorable economic ebbs and flows. He suggests that Nixons cannot be depended on to maintain the economy of the United States. His discussion turns to a meeting between himself and multiple economists at the White House, eventually resulting in an agreement for intendent voluntary labor agencies. He continues by noting the inequity of the pay board and its effort to divide the labor movement by nullifying bargaining contracts unethically. Meany concludes by affirming the necessity in respecting the results of collective bargaining and urges those involved in the labor to unify like never before.