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412,000 a year while most of his members made a paltry $ 29,800 a year. By 1996, his salary had ballooned to nearly $ 450,000 a year, and the New York City press had revealed that he had built himself a palatial office and lived in a union-owned penthouse rent-free. The announcement of the powerful but ethically-questionable Bevona as Cordtz's running mate cost Cordtz the support of John
Sweeney.
329:
195:, in 1953. He was elected the local's president in 1956, and over the next 27 years expanded the union's membership from 1,000 to 20,000 and branched out to include custodial workers, fire fighters, security guards and non-salaried hospital workers. Cordtz was also elected president of SEIU Joint Council 35 (a coalition of
292:, SEIU's 45-year-old Organizing Director, announced he would run for the presidency of the union. His announcement created the first contested presidential election in the union's history. Cordtz fired Stern for insubordination on March 1, and asked that Stern's supporters resign from the union's executive board.
206:
Cordtz rose within the SEIU international hierarchy as well. He was elected a member of the SEIU Executive Board in 1968, an
International Vice President in 1972, and International Secretary-Treasurer in 1980. While he served as SEIU Secretary-Treasurer, Cordtz also was elected secretary-treasurer
284:
in 1980. Bevona suppressed opposition within the union, centralized authority and reduced democratic processes, engaged in a large number of legally- and ethically-questionable side-deals, and associated with known organized crime figures. In 1991, the highly reclusive union leader was earning $
257:
Cordtz immediately announced that he would run in April 1996 for a full four-year term as SEIU president, but he ran into significant opposition from reformers in the union who felt he was too close to the "old guard" — white, male, highly paid, double-dipping officials who ran the union in an
295:
SEIU's executive board met on March 11, 1996. By that time, however, it was clear that Stern had the support of Locals representing nearly two-thirds of the union's membership. The same day, Cordtz withdrew from the race and endorsed Stern. Bevona quietly withdrew his candidacy for
216:
280:, President of SEIU Local 32B-32J, as his running mate instead of the incumbent (and Sweeney protégé), Betty Bednarczyk. Bevona had succeeded Sweeney as president of the giant janitorial and elevator operators union in
237:
Cordtz retired from his position at the
Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO in 1991 but his departure from these and other posts — many of which provided him with an income — angered his critics, who accused him of
860:
254:
on
October 25, 1995. Sweeney resigned as SEIU president on December 12, 1995, and the 74-year-old Cordtz was elected president the same day to serve out his unexpired term (which ended in April 1996).
226:
Cordtz played a prominent role in national union affairs as
Secretary-Treasurer. For example, he stood in for SEIU President John Sweeney and publicly opposed a proposed federal takeover of the
595:
Cordtz had alienated
Bednarczyk in his first two months in office, and at least one source says she refused to be his running mate. Grow, Doug. "A Woman of Substance Reelected to Union Post."
880:
262:, who had once said he would not support electing anyone over the age of 70 to the SEIU presidency, reversed his position and announced his support for Cordtz's candidacy.
265:
To improve his standing in the union, Cordtz adopted many of the militant tactics pioneered by
Sweeney and other SEIU leaders. For example, he blocked traffic on a busy
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199:-area SEIU locals), and president of Service Employees Central States Conference (a coalition of SEIU councils and state, regional and local bodies in the
220:
154:
208:
875:
870:
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642:
111:
203:). Cordtz also served as vice-president of Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO and on the board of directors of the Michigan State AFL-CIO.
554:
865:
307:
494:"Metro Detroit AFL-CIO Holds 14th Constitutional Convention." Press release. Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO. May 17, 1991.
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397:"John Sweeney Steps Down From Top SEIU Post." Press release. Service Employees International Union. December 12, 1995.
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in the union. He also often represented SEIU when existing independent locals affiliated with the larger union.
444:
200:
468:
June 10, 1987; Yancey, Matt. "Teamsters
Leaders, Dissidents Alike Decry Possible Government Takeover Move."
334:
799:
299:
Richard Cordtz retired as president of SEIU when delegates to the union's convention in
Chicago elected
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464:
June 28, 1986; Ostrow, Ronald J. and
Jackson, Robert L. "U.S. Plans Suit to Get Control of Teamsters."
855:
850:
273:, then the nation's second-largest nursing home chain and a target of a major SEIU organizing drive.
192:
674:
February 9, 1999; Greenhouse, Steven. "Chief of Building Workers' Union Leaves With $ 1.5 Million."
134:, in December 1921. He graduated from high school, but rather than attending college he worked in a
635:
Solidarity for Sale: How Corruption Destroyed the Labor Movement and Undermined America's Promise.
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in 1986 and again in 1987, even though federal control was designed to eliminate the influence of
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Greenhouse, Steven. "A Tough General For Janitors: He Delivers, and Gets Back Top Compensation."
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46:
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SEIU Secretary-Treasurer's Office: Richard Cordtz Records at the Walter P. Reuther Library
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Archived at the "Labor versus Capital in the New World Order" Web site at GeoCities.com.
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281:
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Saltonstall, Dave. "Union King Faces Civil War Showdown Set for Confab in Chicago."
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November 8, 1987; Noble, Kenneth B. "Unionists Scorn Biller for Praise of Presser."
146:
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Samuel, Leah. "High Official of Service Employees Runs a Problem-Plagued Local."
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Cordtz was assigned to SEIU Local 79, a union representing healthcare workers in
207:
of the Conference of Secretary-Treasurers of the AFL-CIO, vice-president of the
107:
678:
February 3, 1999; Greenhouse, Steven. "Union Official Retires Under Pressure."
371:"SEIU Mourns the Loss of President Emeritus Richard Cordtz." SEIU.org. No date.
110:
leader. From 1980 to 1995, he was the International Secretary-Treasurer of the
832:
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March 12, 1996; Swoboda, Frank. "Services Union Chief Won't Seek Reelection."
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289:
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795:
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March 12, 1996; "Service Employees Union President Ends Reelection Bid."
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January 22, 1996; Greenhouse, Steven. "Ex-Union Chief's Private Palace."
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Finder, Alan. "Reclusive Building Union Chief Earned $ 412,000 in 1989."
181:
131:
73:
50:
456:"AFL-CIO, UAW Join Teamsters In Opposing Proposed Government Takeover."
328:
217:
International Federation of Commercial, Clerical and Technical Employees
118:, and was president of the union himself from October 1995 to May 1996.
763:
Franklin, Stephen. "New Generation Secures Place in Union Leadership."
370:
251:
196:
127:
269:, street in mid-February 1996 to protest the anti-union activities of
700:
Crowe, Kenneth C. "Battle Looms For Service Employees Leadership."
506:
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for Local 102 in 1947. He was assigned to organizing campaigns in
135:
716:
Greenhouse, Steven. "Union President Yields Race to Challenger."
615:
Greenhouse, Steven. "Leadership Battle Divides Prominent Union."
582:
Robertson, Kathy. "Union Ups Ante in Battle With Nursing Home."
106:(December 20, 1921 – November 20, 2006) was an American
481:
Mclaren, John. "County Group Joining Forces With Local 102."
250:
SEIU President John Sweeney won election as President of the
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February 2, 1999; "Labor Leader Quits Amid Furor on Pay."
313:
Richard Cordtz died on November 20, 2006, at his home in
306:
In retirement, Cordtz continued to serve as chairman of
861:
Presidents of the Service Employees International Union
445:"AFL-CIO Leaders' Biographies." AFL-CIO. c. 1996.
411:Moore, J. Duncan. "Cordtz Elected New SEIU Chief."
93:
81:
58:
28:
21:
569:Nelson, Robert L. and Nelson, Emily. "Work Week."
521:Swoboda, Frank. "AFL-CIO Elects New Leadership."
184:in 1950, and was elected vice-president of the
168:Cordtz and his wife, Tina, had three children.
750:Crowe, Kenneth C. "Union Chief's Rough Road."
8:
881:United States Army personnel of World War II
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317:. His wife and three children survived him.
276:As the SEIU convention neared, Cordtz chose
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209:AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department
157:. After the war, he attended college in
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296:secretary-treasurer a few weeks later.
215:, an international board member of the
228:International Brotherhood of Teamsters
303:the new president on April 23, 1996.
112:Service Employees International Union
7:
424:"Leader Denies Inside Arson Job."
308:Labor's International Hall of Fame
165:, where he joined SEIU Local 102.
14:
16:American labor leader (1921–2006)
637:New York: Public Affairs, 2006.
327:
886:Vice presidents of the AFL–CIO
876:People from Dearborn, Michigan
246:SEIU presidency and later life
142:, and joined his first union.
1:
871:Trade unionists from Illinois
733:"Union President Won't Run."
584:Business Journal-Sacramento.
213:A. Philip Randolph Institute
186:Colorado Federation of Labor
902:
219:, and was a member of the
176:Cordtz began working as a
829:
820:
812:
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597:Minneapolis Star Tribune.
373:Accessed August 13, 2008.
267:San Francisco, California
161:. He worked part-time at
483:San Diego Union-Tribune.
335:Organized labour portal
138:manufacturing plant in
866:Activists from Chicago
800:Wayne State University
538:January–February 1996.
288:On February 27, 1996,
104:Richard Webster Cordtz
33:Richard Webster Cordtz
823:President of the SEIU
536:Monthly Labor Review.
159:San Diego, California
808:Trade union offices
571:Wall Street Journal.
557:New York Daily News.
258:autocratic fashion.
211:, a director of the
193:Hazel Park, Michigan
149:, he served in the
126:Cordtz was born in
781:November 14, 2000.
777:"Hall of Famers."
739:Los Angeles Times.
704:February 28, 1996.
586:February 12, 1996.
466:Los Angeles Times.
415:December 18, 1995.
413:Modern Healthcare.
315:Dearborn, Michigan
188:at the age of 30.
151:United States Army
140:Kenosha, Wisconsin
839:
838:
830:Succeeded by
779:Work In Progress.
686:February 2, 1999.
643:978-1-891620-72-0
525:October 26, 1995.
470:Associated Press.
458:Associated Press.
426:Associated Press.
163:Del Mar Racetrack
101:
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62:November 20, 2006
43:December 20, 1921
893:
827:1995–1996
813:Preceded by
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735:Chicago Tribune.
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718:New York Times.
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684:New York Times.
680:New York Times.
676:New York Times.
672:New York Times.
668:New York Times.
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633:Fitch, Robert.
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559:April 21, 1996.
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232:organized crime
178:union organizer
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87:union organizer
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85:Brass worker,
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66:(aged 84)
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509:Labor Notes.
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271:Vencor Corp.
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260:John Sweeney
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147:World War II
144:
125:
116:John Sweeney
103:
102:
64:(2006-11-20)
856:2006 deaths
851:1921 births
534:"1996 AD."
172:SEIU career
97:Tina Cordtz
845:Categories
833:Andy Stern
301:Andy Stern
290:Andy Stern
278:Gus Bevona
122:Early life
39:1921-12-20
752:Newsday.
702:Newsday.
182:Colorado
132:Illinois
74:Michigan
70:Dearborn
51:Illinois
252:AFL-CIO
201:Midwest
197:Detroit
153:in the
145:During
128:Chicago
47:Chicago
641:
114:under
94:Spouse
76:, U.S.
53:, U.S.
321:Notes
136:brass
108:labor
639:ISBN
59:Died
29:Born
798:at
847::
709:^
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242:.
223:.
130:,
72:,
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41:)
37:(
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