[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 17, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MR. JOHN C. SPERRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 17, 2003

  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I rise today to pay tribute to a 
dear friend, Mr. John C. Sperry. John is retiring from the United Food 
and Commercial Workers Union, Local 324 after 30 years of dedicated 
service. He is the second most senior International Vice President in 
the UFCW.
  When President Arthur Berland retired in 1973, Local 324 had 12,000 
members with wages at $187.30 per week. John C. Sperry was elected by 
the Executive Board to succeed Berland. I was a member of Local 324 
myself, and was employed at the SavOn drug store in Anaheim--scooping 
ice cream. I was a very good ice cream scooper, and was thrilled to be 
a member of the UFCW.
  John started as a Box Boy (now called ``Courtesy Clerk'') at age 15. 
He worked part-time at a Safeway Market. He than worked as a Box Boy 
and Produce and Food Clerk at Alpha Beta, A&P, Shopping Bag and 
Hiram's--the latter being subsequently bought by the Lucky supermarket 
chain. He was hired on May 4, 1959 as a Union Organizer, and then 
elected (the practice at the time) as Union Representative. He was 
confirmed as President of Local 324 in 1975, and has been re-elected 
unanimously 10times since then--quite a record of longevity and 
leadership.
  John has served as the acknowledged leader and official spokesperson 
of the UFCW in Southern California for 28 years. He has served for 
decades on the food industry's Joint Labor Management (JLM) Committee, 
is one of two rank-and-file officials in the National JLM, and was for 
20 years Chairman of Food Benefits Trust and Secretary of the Pension 
Fund.
  With John as the spokesperson and chief negotiator for all Southern 
California UFCW Locals, wages have gone from under $200 per week when 
he became President to the current $716 for Clerks and $767.20 for Meat 
Cutters. In addition there have been vast increases in Health and 
Welfare and Pension benefits; establishment of weekly hour guarantees; 
establishment of the Defined Contribution Plan; creation of the 
``Golden 85 (full retirement benefits for active participants with 30 
full-time credited service years at age 55); establishment of the 
Housing and Educational Fund; and combining of the Food and Meat 
Agreements to increase the Union's bargaining Power. John was the force 
behind the UFCW work stoppage of 1978 that resulted in significant 
increases in wages, night premiums, health benefits and pensions for 
union members.
  From its earliest years, Local 324 has participated in many community 
activities, with the goal of improving the quality of life of all those 
who live in Southern California. Under President Sperry, the Union 
Local has earned a reputation as one of the most general philanthropic 
organizations in the state for its consistent financial support of 
worthy causes.
  With some 24,000 members, UFCW Local 324 is the eighth largest Union 
Local in the UFCW. No other sister Local in the United States or Canada 
enjoys a better or more strictly enforced collective bargaining 
agreement, a statement that has been true primarily as a result of the 
leadership of John C. Sperry.
  We will all miss John, but know that he will continue to be of 
counsel to not only Local 324 but also the national union. I will miss 
him as my union president, and count him not only as a leader, but a 
valued friend and advisor.

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