[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 10, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6442-S6443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        REMEMBERING JACK HENNING

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is with a heavy heart that I ask 
my colleagues to join me today in honoring the memory of an 
extraordinary labor leader, civil servant, and dear friend of mine, 
John F. ``Jack'' Henning. Jack's legendary activism and innovation in 
the labor movement will serve as a source of inspiration for decades to 
come. Jack passed away on June 4, 2009. He was 93 years old.
  Jack Henning was born in San Francisco on October 25, 1915, to hard-
working Irish-American parents. After he graduated from St. Mary's 
College with a degree in English literature, he began what would become 
a lifelong and immensely successful career in the labor movement. In 
1938, Jack began working for the Association of Catholic Unionists in 
San Francisco, and in 1949 he was hired by the California Labor 
Federation.
  Recognizing Jack's exemplary leadership, hard work, and compassion 
for his fellow-man, former California Governor Pat Brown named him 
director of the California Department of Industrial Relations in 1959. 
A public servant

[[Page S6443]]

and leader at both state and federal levels, Jack also served as Under 
Secretary of Labor under President Kennedy and was later appointed as 
U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand by President Johnson.
  With an already impressive and accomplished career behind him, Jack 
returned to California in 1970 and continued his life-long effort to 
improve conditions for working Americans. For 26 years Jack served as 
the executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, 
AFL-CIO, representing over 2 million workers.
  Jack's leadership in the labor movement had a huge impact on workers 
across California and the Nation. A friend and colleague of Cesar 
Chavez, Jack worked alongside the United Farm Workers to pass 
California's groundbreaking Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975, 
which established the right to collective bargaining for farm workers. 
Jack went on to fight many successful battles for improvements in 
worker safety and compensation laws.
  Jack's belief in, and dedication to, equal rights was not limited to 
the labor movement. Jack also fought against ignorance and racial 
discrimination. As the Regent for the University of California from 
1977 to 1989, Jack worked to establish affirmative action policies and 
encouraged the University to divest from South Africa in protest of the 
country's support of apartheid.
  Jack stood out as a driven organizer and hard worker who cared for 
his community deeply. Jack will be remembered by his friends and 
partners in the labor movement as a visionary, a talented orator, and 
stalwart defender of equal rights. He was a champion for workers 
everywhere, and he will be sorely missed. We take comfort in knowing 
that the future of the labor movement will continue to benefit from 
Jack's dedication for generations to come. We will always be grateful 
for Jack's example of a steadfast commitment to social and economic 
justice.
  Jack is survived by his five sons, John Jr., Patrick, Brian, Daniel, 
and Thomas; two daughters, Nancy Goulde and Mary Henning; 12 
grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. My thoughts are with Jack's 
family at this difficult time. 

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