[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 568]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    STATEMENT COMMENDING STAN ISRAEL FOR 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO SEIU

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 20, 2011

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to recognize the 
retirement of my good friend Stan Israel, Executive Vice President of 
SEIU District 1199--New England. For 35 years, Stan has spearheaded 
efforts to organize health workers, and his hard work has consistently 
won justice at the worksite for laborers of all skill levels and 
backgrounds.
  Stan began by organizing non-union health employees at nursing homes 
and hospitals in New York into Local 1199. While leading contract 
negotiations on behalf of the workers, he also advocated for 
fundamental reforms: adequate staffing levels, safe workplaces, and 
well-defined job responsibilities. His success earned him a promotion 
to the 1199 New England headquarters in Connecticut, where he served 
briefly before coming to Rhode Island in the summer of 1983.
  Since his arrival, Stan has fought tirelessly to ensure that Rhode 
Island healthcare workers are the most fairly treated in the country. 
He has earned a reputation as a tough but fair negotiator and as a 
champion of employees throughout the entire healthcare system. Stan has 
also collaborated with management for the benefit of his members, most 
notably with a $650,000 grant from the Federal Government to fund 
professional growth programs.
  Stan has been a leader in lobbying the Rhode Island Legislature to 
pass just workplace protection laws. During his tenure, Rhode Island 
enacted the Hospital Conversion Act, which protects workers when 
hospitals are sold or merged, and the Safe Patient Handling Act, which 
bans mandatory overtime for nurses. The infrastructure he has developed 
at Local 1199 leaves it well poised to continue fighting for employees 
in the coming years.
  A true public servant, Stan has selflessly volunteered throughout his 
time in the state. A settler trustee of the New England Employees 
Welfare Fund, he played a pivotal role in creating and developing the 
fund, which oversees the health insurance plans of thousands of 
healthcare workers and their families. He is the President of the Rhode 
Island SEIU State Council, Vice President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, 
and a founding board member of Ocean State Action, a leading state 
advocacy group.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the Ocean State is home to many devotees 
of justice, and Stan Israel is one of the best among them. I would be 
remiss not to mention his lovely wife, Cynthia, and children, Caitlin 
and John, whose support has been integral in his many lasting 
accomplishments, and I join with them and all those whose lives he has 
worked to improve in wishing Stan the best in his retirement.

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