[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20046]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO GERALD W. OWENS--GRAND MARSHAL OF THE 14TH ANNUAL 
                          CELEBRATION OF LABOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 12, 2005

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize a 
highly valued citizen of South Orange, New Jersey, which is in my 
district. Mr. Gerald W. Owens will preside as the Grand Marshal over 
the 14th Annual Celebration of Labor on Friday, September 9, 2005. He 
is a devoted husband to Jackie and the father to two children. For 
almost 5 decades, Mr. Owens has also dedicated his life to the social, 
political and economic justice of all working Americans.
  Active in the International Longshoremen's Association, ILA, since 
1958, Mr. Owens has been a rising star in the labor industry. Through 
the combination of on-the-job union experience with advanced studies in 
public relations, union organizing and labor law, Gerald has 
accomplished many feats. Over his career that has spanned in excess of 
40 years; he started out as a longshoreman in the Ports of Newark and 
Elizabeth in New Jersey and has ascended to the ranks of International 
Vice President of the ILA. However, one of his most honorable successes 
to date has been his appointment as the International General Organizer 
of the ILA, AFL-CIO. This achievement marks an important milestone in 
the union's 113-year history because Mr. Owens is the first African-
American to ever serve in that position. In fact, the current president 
of the union, Mr. John Bowers stated, ``This elevation of an African-
American to this top ILA Executive Council post is long overdue . . . 
Gerald Owens has served the ILA with distinction for more than 40 years 
and I'm certain he will continue to offer outstanding leadership for 
our union in the future.''
  His tremendous accomplishments do not end there. Mr. Owens is a 
founding member and current president of the New Jersey Organization of 
Black Labor Leaders. He also is the president of the Essex County (New 
Jersey) chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, a national 
organization of black trade unionists whose mission is to convey to the 
labor industry the needs and concerns of black Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues here in the U.S. House of 
Representatives would join me in honoring Mr. Gerald W. Owens, who is 
presiding as the Grand Marshal over the 14th Annual Celebration of 
Labor, for his tireless work in the labor industry. I am proud to have 
him in my Congressional district and wish him never-ending success in 
his future endeavors.

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