[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 11, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN TRIBUTE TO MIGUEL CONTRERAS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2005

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues from 
California, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. George Miller, Mr. Baca, Mr. Becerra, Mr. 
Berman, Ms. Capps, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Costa, Ms. Susan Davis, Ms. Eshoo, 
Mr. Farr, Mr. Filner, Ms. Harman, Mr. Honda, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Lee, Mr. 
Lofgren, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Ms. Napolitano, Ms. 
Roybal-Allard, Ms. Linda Sanchez, Ms. Loretta Sanchez, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
Sherman, Mr. Stark, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. Thompson, Ms. Waters, Ms. 
Watson, Mr. Waxman, and Ms. Woolsey, to pay tribute to Miguel 
Contreras, who died unexpectedly on Friday, May 6, 2005. As Executive 
Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and a 
Vice President of the California Labor Federation, Miguel was a friend 
to many of us in Congress from California. More importantly, he was a 
staunch champion for working families in Los Angeles and throughout the 
country whose leadership brought much needed vigor to our Nation's 
labor movement.
  As the son of migrant farmworkers, Miguel grew up in Dinuba, 
California, where he worked in the Central Valley's fields from the age 
of 5 alongside his parents and 6 brothers. Following his parents' 
example, Miguel became active in the labor movement, where his skills 
were recognized by the legendary Cesar Chavez, who hired him as a union 
representative for the United Farm Workers. For 6 years, Miguel worked 
under Chavez, gaining critical leadership, strategic, and political 
skills at the helm of one of our Nation's greatest civil rights heroes.
  Miguel later joined the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees' 
(HERE) Union Local 2 in San Francisco, where his coordination of a 
citywide major hotel walkout led to the biggest wage and benefit 
increases in history for the 14,000 member local union. His efforts 
spread beyond California to hotel organizing efforts in Nevada and New 
York.
  Following a 3 year stint as political director of the Los Angeles 
County Federation of Labor, Miguel was elected Executive Secretary-
Treasurer of the Federation in 1996. As head of the Federation, Miguel 
oversaw the operation of 350 local unions and more than 800,000 union 
members. Under his leadership, the Federation became a powerful voice 
for working families throughout Los Angeles, leading successful 
organizing and wage improvement campaigns for janitors, bus drivers, 
mechanics, trauma center workers, and thousands of other workers.
  As the first Latino elected to head Los Angeles County's powerful 
labor organization, Miguel opened the door for thousands of Latino and 
immigrant workers throughout Southern California to the union movement 
and better wages and health benefits. In doing so, he transformed the 
face of not only the labor movement in Los Angeles, but of local, city, 
and State elected officials, and, inevitably, the city and State as 
well.
  The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has become a model for 
union organizations across the Nation. At a time when union membership 
is waning in other areas of the country, it grew quickly in Los Angeles 
County under Miguel's leadership. The superior labor organization he 
developed in Los Angeles and its successes are just a part of Miguel's 
enduring legacy to those most in need in our society.
  As Members of the California Congressional delegation, we honor 
Miguel as champion for working families. We extend our deepest sympathy 
to his wife, Maria Elena Durazo, and his sons Michael and Mario, during 
this difficult time.
  Miguel Contreras's passing is not only a tremendous loss for working 
families in Southern California, but also throughout the Nation. His 
tremendous strategic skills and dedicated passion to improving the 
lives of others are rare and will be missed sorely by thousands of 
working men and women he called his brothers and sisters.

                          ____________________