Irish America
Irish America
Organized labor has been declining steadily for the past two dedicates. Can John J. Sweeney, elected last year as the president of the AFL-CIO, reverse the trend? EIGHT stories above the ground in Washington, D.C., in an office just a few blocks from the White House, John J. Sweeney smiles at the suggestion that he is dangerous subversive. It is a suggestion he has heard many … [Read more...] about A New Light for Labor?
As we celebrate Labor Day and the history of the Irish in the Labor Movement we bring you this commentary piece from our archives. Irish American leaders had a strong influence within and over the labor movement in the U.S., the Democratic Party, and other liberal institutions, Harold Meyerson argues.
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The death of Ted Kennedy precedes by three weeks the end of John … [Read more...] about Weekly Comment:
What Ted Kennedy & John Sweeney Built On
In March, 2004, John Sweeney, then president of the AFL-CIO with three million workers under watch, was Irish America Magazine's Irish American of the Year. In this far-reaching interview with Sarah Buscher, then Irish America's assistant editor, Sweeney talked about the plight of immigrants; working families; and growing up in the Bronx, the son of Irish immigrant parents. … [Read more...] about John Sweeney:
Defending America’s Workers
Sitting with me in the sleek conference room of the AFL-CIO's executive suite overlooking the White House, John Sweeney presents a striking contrast to his surroundings. Portly in his suspenders and rumpled shirt with his jacket nowhere in sight, he appears totally unassuming. It would be easy to underestimate the man at first glance. The only way to gauge his emotions is by … [Read more...] about Irish American of the Year John Sweeney: Defending America’s Workers
Irish America magazine's Top 100 awards ceremony.Of all our Top 100 awards ceremonies, this year's was perhaps the most moving as we celebrated real heroes. Irish American of the Year, Dr. Jerri Nielsen, who battled breast cancer while stationed at the South Pole, movingly contrasted the community of survivors she lived with at the polar station with the divisiveness of the … [Read more...] about A Night to Remember
