[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E981-E982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    IN RECOGNITION OF CARMEN PAPALE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 1997

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions 
of Carmen Papale who will retire next week as manager and international 
vice president of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile 
Employees.
  Mr. Papale was born and raised in Baltimore and went to work in the 
men's clothing industry as a cutter at Haas Tailoring Co. in 1965 
rising to the level of shop steward. As many Members of the House may 
know, Haas Tailoring is the place to order custom suits. Haas produces 
the finest American made custom suits and over the years has served a 
diverse clientele, ranging from many members of the Baltimore Ravens, 
to Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, to Tiger Woods. 
Carmen Papale was part of that fine tradition.
  Carmen left Haas and went to work for the Baltimore Regional Joint 
Board in July 1973 as an organizer and soon was promoted to business 
agent representing members in shops in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and 
Virginia. He was elected vice president of the International Union, the 
Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers. He has been reelected to this 
position at every national convention since 1982. In addition, Mr. 
Papale has served as comanager and then manager of the Baltimore 
Regional Joint Board since 1982 and serves as chair of the board of 
trustees of the Board Health and Welfare Fund, as well as a member of 
the board of directors of the Amalgamated Bank of New York and on the 
executive board of the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO.
  To say that Mr. Papale retires from a lifetime of commitment to the 
working people of this country is an understatement. Carmen has seen 
and participated in great changes in the conditions under which 
clothing workers labor. He has also fought with all his heart his 
industry's abandonment of the great manufacturing centers of America 
for cheap labor around the world.
  Over the years, Carmen has offered me his good counsel on many 
national and local issues. We have not always agreed, but I have always 
tremendously valued the wisdom, knowledge, and caring for the working 
men and women of this Nation that his words impart. While I wish Carmen 
the best in a well deserved retirement, I also hope to continue 
benefiting from his advice for years to come.
  I hope other Members of the House will join me today in thanking 
Carmen Papale for all his work in the labor movement of this Nation. 
His efforts will be missed; his shoes hard to fill.

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