Mel Crawford: George Meany-Organized Labor

Artist: Mel Crawford
1925 -
Nationality: Canadian
Artwork Year: 1980
Image Size: 12.5 by 14.25 inches
Overall Size: 15 by 17 inches
Medium: Mixed Media on Cold Press Illustration Board

George Meany was once called the most powerful man in America outside of government. Born a New Yorker in 1894, he inherited his father's dedication to the trade union movement. Young George chose his father's plumbing trade as his own, and before long was elected business agent of his union local. From there he broadened his involvement in the building trades. As president of the New York Federation of Labor during the Roosevelt Administration, Meany took advantage of New Deal progressivism to help enact a number of pro-labor bills and social reform measures. It was the beginning of a pattern that held throughout his extraordinary career. In 1952, Meany was elected president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Three years later, when it merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), he was unanimously selected to lead the new coalition. The latter was a position to which he was consistently reelected without opposition. Wielding his power to achieve reform in the labor movement and in society at large, Meany made scores of friends and enemies. But he always made news. Whether he was fighting communism in the 50's, pushing through civil rights legislation in the 60's or squaring off alone against Richard Nixon's 1971 wage-price freeze, the cigar-chomping Meany always took a defiant stand. He always held his ground to help the common worker gain what Samuel Gompers defined as the basic goal of American labor: "More."

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover of the U.S. 15¢ Organized Labor stamp issued September 1, 1980.

Artwork Copyright © 1980 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB06077

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