Historical Perspectives: Labor and United Way - An 80 Year Partnership
It was Jordan “Bud” Biscardo, AFL-CIO Community Services Labor Liaison-Vice President at United Way Worldwide, who summarized his bridging role between labor and United Way when he spoke at a late 20th century Community Leaders Conference. “It’s not about the organizations that I’m privileged to represent. It’s about the people we serve.” Those words reflected the shared vision that has undergirded this United Way relationship since its beginning in 1942.
In late 1942, Matthew Wolf, Vice President of the American Federation of Labor, wrote about this relationship in the American Federationist, “Few events in the history of the trade union movement have held so much significance for the future status of organized labor in the life of the American community. . . . . the AFL War Relief Committee’s agreement to coordinate fundraising for Community Chests by creating the first version of Labor Liaisons.”
Thanks to the research of United Way Worldwide’s Director of Labor Engagement Kelly Temple, we know that by the end of 1945, more than 4,000 labor leaders served on the boards of directors of local War Chests. Their coordination of services to and campaigns among members of local labor unions was evident in local and national advertisements and posters. During the following year, according to People & Events: A history of the United Way, “Community Chests & Councils of America approved a budget for its first Labor Relations Department.” This led to the creation of Union Counselor Training programs in hundreds of communities. As a result, countless numbers of union and non-union people in need of services have received referrals for help. Worthy of special mention: United Way and the AFL-CIO are founding partners of the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the largest one-day food drive in the U.S. that is now over thirty years old.
People & Events traces the first quarter century of the United Way-Labor relationship, during which union leaders held high offices in United Way. William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor and Philip Murray, President of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, as well as George Meany, President of the merged AFL-CIO, served as Vice Chairs of United Community Campaigns of America, the fund-raising arm of United Community Funds & Councils of America. Some United Way alumni will recall the 1966 election of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO President Joe Beirne as Board President of UCFCA. Beirne had previously served as the founding chair of the joint AFL-CIO Community Services Committee. Subsequently, the presentation of the “Joe Bierne Nautilus Award” was made during the remainder of the 20th century to an outstanding labor leader who exemplified the “endless connection of United Way and organized labor values to the good of humanity.”
When Douglas A. Frazier, Vice President of the United Auto Workers, was named general Chair of Detroit’s 1974 United Way Torch Drive, he stated the meaning of United Way-Labor teamwork, “It gives emphasis to the principle that the United Way is all parts of the community working for common goals.” Today, in the words of Temple, “the partnership continues to work together to create sustainable impact in local communities.” Illustrating her point, she observed, “United Ways and Labor also continue to partner for disaster relief efforts across the country. When the pandemic hit in 2020, United Way local Labor Liaisons and labor staff jumped into action to help community members in need from holding vaccine clinics and offering testing sites, to holding hundreds of events, collecting and distributing food and other essential items.” Today, the important bond between organized labor and the United Way movement is evidenced by the United Way Worldwide Board membership of Liz Shuler. She is the first woman President of the AFL-CIO whose membership includes sixty unions and over twelve million members.
For nearly four decades, Leo Perlis was responsible for maintaining the productivity of the Labor-United Way teamwork. He was Director of the Community Services Department at the AFL-CIO from its beginning until his retirement in 1980. According to B. G. “Pete” Culver, author of a biography of Perlis entitled "An Angel with the Union Label, a History of the AFLCIO Community Services Program", Perlis often spoke of organized labor’s partnership with United Way by saying, “When times change, we must change with the times. That’s why we have endured it all. That’s why we endure in our mission to serve others.” Over 80 years of productive partnership? That’s why!
(Major resources for this article: Kelly Temple, People & Events, 1977, and An Angel with the Union Label, Jewett Publications, 1996.)
About the Author
Dick Aft, UW NEXT Emeritus Board Member
Following a 40-year United Way career during which Dick raised over a billion dollars to support local non-profit human services, he earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership & Development. Since then, he has served as an interim United Way CEO and mentor, and he has tried to use the things he has experienced and learned.
These include coaching new presidents of colleges and universities as sole proprietor of Philanthropic Leadership.
Serving as a volunteer board officer of a score of organizations, currently: the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati College Conservatory, Hoxworth Blood Center, the American National Classical Music Hall of Fame, and as Past Chairman and an emeritus board member of United Way NEXT. Teaching Values-Based Management [ethics] to Xavier University MBA students for 10 years. Spending 10 years “Of Counsel” with Gilman Partners Executive Search specializing in filling non-profit CEO positions. Serving as a historian for the 130-year-old United Way movement. [Four books, 25 webinars, and over 70 articles published to date.] Voluntarily helping Greater Cincinnati non-profit organizations strategically identify and recruit board members.
Dick’s wife Mary Lu has made dozens of foundation-funded trips abroad to coach government, business, and volunteer leaders on the establishment and oversight of health and social service organizations. Many of these trips have been as representatives of the former United Way International. Two of their three sons and one daughter-in-law are former United Way CEOs. Together, they have been United Way execs for over 100 years.
Read additional articles by Dick here.