Chicago, IL
Whereas our friend and brother Owen Bieber has retired as a member of this Executive Council;
Whereas Owen Bieber has been part of the trade union movement since he was 19 years old, when he joined the United Auto Workers as an assembly-line worker in Grand Rapids, Michigan;
Whereas Owen Bieber has given more than four decades of service to the United Auto Workers as local president, regional staff representative, international representative, regional director, vice-president, and president;
Whereas the United Auto Workers under Owen Bieber's leadership has brought job and income security to hundreds of thousands of working women and men, and expanded its organizing and education programs;
Whereas Owen Bieber has contributed to this Executive Council as the chair of the Committee on Economic Policy and the Committee on South Africa and as a member of the committees on International Affairs, Legislation, Political Education, Article XX Review, the Balanced Budget Amendment, Botto House, Defense, Energy, Evolution of Work, Health Care, Legislative Priorities, National Information Infrastructure, Older and Retired Union Members, Pension Investment, Political Work, Training, and the United Negro College Fund;
Be it resolved that the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO thanks Owen Bieber for his many years of service and his unflagging commitment to the principles of trade unionism, and wishes him a happy, fulfilling retirement; and,
Be it further resolved that this expression of gratitude, affection, and esteem be spread upon the permanent records of the AFL-CIO.