[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    RECOGNIZING DOROTHY CHRISTIAN- SEN FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE TO 
   ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

                                 ______


                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 29, 1994

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Dorothy 
Christiansen's distinguished career of service to California workers. 
For more than 20 years, she has strengthened the foundation of labor-
management relations in the bay area.
  In 1969, Ms. Christiansen began her career as a clerical worker in 
Richmond, CA, where her fellow workers quickly elected her chapter 
president. Soon afterward, she became the deputy executive secretary of 
SEIU Local 390, where she served until 1977. From 1971 to 1977, she was 
also selected as a member of the Central Labor Council of Alameda 
County Executive Committee. As deputy executive secretary for SEIU, Ms. 
Christiansen served as a conegotiator for the first union contracts 
with Bay Area Rapid Transit, and with the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, 
Richmond, Fremont, Union City, and El Cerrito.
  In 1977, Ms. Christiansen left her union position to become a labor 
commissioner and was then quickly appointed to the Federal mediation 
and Conciliation Service where she has served ever since. As a Federal 
mediator, she was instrumental in settling such difficult labor 
disputes as the 1986 Kaiser Hospital strike and the 1992 Summit 
Hospital strike. She is also responsible for avoiding numerous other 
potential labor disputes with her keen negotiating skills. Ms. 
Christiansen has always dealt with unions and management with one eye 
on fairness and the other on the welfare and dignity of the workers.
  Mr. Speaker, I come before you today to recognize Dorothy 
Christiansen for her commitment in advancing and protecting a person's 
right to workplace fairness. I hope you and my colleagues will join me 
in congratulating this labor leader and mediator for all her 
accomplishments and tenacious spirit and wish her well in all her 
future endeavors.

                          ____________________