[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 174 (Friday, October 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1467-E1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING JOHN H. DIRZIUS ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 26, 2018

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
join the many family, friends, and colleagues who have gathered to 
extend my heartfelt congratulations to my dear friend, John H. Dirzius, 
as he marks his retirement from the American Postal Workers Union. In 
his nearly fifty years of union service, John has been a strong 
advocate for his members. His commitment and dedication have made a 
difference for thousands of working families and I have no doubt his 
leadership will be missed.
  John began his postal career in the Post Office of Seymour, 
Connecticut in 1970. As one might remember, the 1970's were a 
transformative time in our culture with a number of unique fashion and 
hair trends for both men and women. Just two years into his postal 
career, John was issued a notice of removal for having, in the opinion 
of the local Postmaster, ``long hair.'' Taking issue with the 
``reasoning'' behind the notice for removal, John sought to file a 
union grievance and soon learned that working in such a small office 
did not offer the greatest of union representation. Eventually, John 
filed an EEOC complaint and won his job back--and it was this incident 
that marked the start of his 46-year career in the postal union.
  In his earliest years, John played a major role in the merging of 
Seymour's small Local with that of the larger Local in New Haven, 
creating what would be the first of many Area Locals in the newly 
merged American Postal Workers Union. In 1973, John was appointed as a 
union organizer and within a few years, the New Haven Area Local was 
well on its way to becoming one of the largest in the APWU. Never 
forgetting his early roots as a postal worker in Seymour, John steadily 
rose through the ranks, serving in various leadership positions within 
the Local and State APWU. He served for over two decades as the 
President of the Greater Connecticut Area Local, representing postal 
workers employed in more than two-hundred facilities throughout the 
state, before his appointment as the Northeast Regional Coordinator--a 
position in which he has served for the last eight years.
  John's commitment to the labor movement has extended far beyond the 
APWU. He has been an active member of the AFL-CIO, once serving as a 
State Federation Vice-President, he is a past Vice-President of the 
Greater New Haven CT Labor Council and has volunteered as a community 
mediator. In addition to all of this, John has also found the time to 
volunteer his time with numerous civic and youth

[[Page E1468]]

organizations including the United Way of Greater New Haven.
  I have had the great honor of knowing and working with John for close 
to thirty years and I have been proud to stand with him in the fight to 
preserve his members' jobs as well as the health and retirement 
benefits they have earned. I would be remiss if I did not extend a 
personal note of thanks to him for his many years of friendship and 
support. He has been an extraordinary friend and his fierce commitment 
and dedication is an inspiration to all of us who have been fortunate 
enough to work with him.
  The retirement of John H. Dirzius from the American Postal Workers 
Union marks the end of an era. I am honored to have this opportunity to 
stand and extend my deepest thanks and sincere appreciation to John for 
his outstanding service and unwavering commitment to our working 
families. I wish him; his wife, Diane; their children, Melisa, Jeffrey, 
and Gregory; and the apples of their eyes, their grandchildren, 
Makayla, Jacob, Tatiana, and Benjamin, all the best for many more years 
of health and happiness. Congratulations my friend--Auguroni.

                          ____________________