June 19, 2006
On Sunday, June 16, 2006, a light went out in the House of Labor. At 76, Martin “Marty” Berger lost his valiant fight against cancer. He fought a good fight against bad odds, but Marty was a fighter all his life and always battled the odds. He worked as an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers (ILGWU) and the United Needle International Trade Employees (UNITE/HERE) for most of his life and then after his “retirement” on behalf of his beloved Pennsylvania Association of Retired Persons (PARA).
Marty was a kind, gentle man who fought fiercely for the union. He may have been slight of build, but was one of the toughest men I ever met. Marty would aggressively argue for the rights of workers and retirees. He didn’t loose many arguments and never gave up. There is a Sicilian proverb that best describes him, “Forte e Gentile,” which means “strong and gentle.”
His life is the history of the Labor Movement, and his work a testimony to courage and devotion to the cause. Marty had many causes, but they all encompassed his belief in the dignity of man and his love of the union. Whether he was organizing in the South in the early days or fighting for an issue for Retired Americans the last few years, he never gave up or gave in.
Marty organized thousands of workers in his long career and because of him they achieved better living standards, higher pay, and dignity and respect on the job. He spent the last few years working for the rights of retired union members and all seniors to live out their golden years with dignity and security. Through his leadership, PARA represented 250,000 senior activist and union retirees in Pennsylvania. Through his leadership, PARA has grown to include 145 affiliated organizations. PARA is the state affiliate of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a national grassroots organization representing 3 million retirees. Marty will always be the heart of PARA.
We will miss him dearly and think fondly of him for the rest of our days. There may never be a monument built for him or building named after him, but we celebrate his life every time we walk one more picket line, sign up one more union member; lobby in the State House or the halls of Congress for workers and seniors rights, or work at the polls to elect labor-friendly candidates. We will continue the work he did all of his life, organizing workers and demanding dignity for all retirees.
We are all better for knowing this bright light of the labor movement. We all became taller by standing on his shoulders. He made us just a little bit better by being our friend and our mentor. His light will shine in our hearts.
As Winston Churchill put it, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Marty Berger made a life!
He is survived by his wife Helen, a son and 3 stepchildren. Donations can be sent in memory of Marty to his favorite charity: Jewish Family and Children Services, 133 Coulter Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Speech at Secretary’s 2006 Awards Ceremony - Philadelphia
Honorable Deputy Secretary Law, Honored guests, Awards Honorees and my fellow Department of Labor employees. It is our annual gathering to honor those of us who have achieved above and beyond, and it is my annual duty to honor them and all of you who do the Department’s business. You, who work hard to accomplish the Department’s mission with devotion, diligence and dedication. It has always been difficult to accomplish that mission but these days it’s nearly impossible due to a shortage of boots on the ground. But yet the impossible is what you do everyday. You get the job done! You get the job done!
It is my honor to let you know that your service does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. While the powers to be might not acknowledge you, the working men and women of America know what you do and appreciate it. While they don’t know you name they are well aware of how they benefit by what you do. You are the dedicated federal workers who enforce the 80 plus Department of Labor laws and training programs each and everyday.
It is my honor to let you know that your service does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. While the powers to be might not acknowledge you, the working men and women of America know what you do and appreciate it. While they don’t know you name they are well aware of how they benefit by what you do. You are the dedicated federal workers who enforce the 80 plus Department of Labor laws and training programs each and everyday.
You protect their pensions and wages; enforce the safety laws that protects the workers in the factories and mines; provide the equal opportunity and fairness in the workplace; train the new employees and retrain the older ones; try the cases in courts; assure that all the programs operate fairly as Congress mandated them to be accomplished and make sure that there are free and fair union elections, and many of you provide the administrative and support services that makes it all work. The American workers know what you do and appreciate it. You get the job done! You get the job done!
I have often pondered on the why you think it’s important to accomplish the mission of the Department until a member of mine who, as she was retiring, sent me this story, which I have adopted it as the Mantra for Local 644. I relate this to you as the rationale of why you strive so hard to do such a great in spite of the almost overwhelming odds and the apparent lack of appreciation.
I have often pondered on the why you think it’s important to accomplish the mission of the Department until a member of mine who, as she was retiring, sent me this story, which I have adopted it as the Mantra for Local 644. I relate this to you as the rationale of why you strive so hard to do such a great in spite of the almost overwhelming odds and the apparent lack of appreciation.
A man was walking along the beach at the South Jersey Shore one day, and he spied another man walking towards him, who stopped every few steps, bent down picked up an object and threw it into the ocean.
When he got closer, the second man inquired.
"What are you doing?"
"As you can see, it's low tide and the star fish that washed ashore are stranded and will die, I'm just throwing them back to the sea."
"Surely you can see that there are hundreds of starfish on this beach, and hundreds of beaches on this shore, so there are literally thousands of starfish you will not be able to save. It’s a daunting task and you are not making any difference at all."
The first man smiled, bent down and picked up a starfish and threw and said quietly, "Made a difference to that one!"
That’s what you do everyday, make a difference if only for one of America’s workers. You know your mission, you do it well and they appreciate it. You get the job done! You get the job done!
I wish that I could tell you that we will be hiring more people, finally having the number of people we really need to do the work, but you know better. We’ve had to do more with less for many years now and I ‘m afraid it’s going to get much worse. We are besieged with competitive outsourcing. You know what competitive outsourcing is, that’s the wonderful program where we replace a federal employee with a contract employee, who is paid little more than minimum wage with no benefits that does not create a job but merely changes the name on the unemployment check.
I wish that I could tell you that we will be hiring more people, finally having the number of people we really need to do the work, but you know better. We’ve had to do more with less for many years now and I ‘m afraid it’s going to get much worse. We are besieged with competitive outsourcing. You know what competitive outsourcing is, that’s the wonderful program where we replace a federal employee with a contract employee, who is paid little more than minimum wage with no benefits that does not create a job but merely changes the name on the unemployment check.
This program does little for the local economy; the contractor, usually from out of town, is the only one who makes good money and it winds up costing the government more money. But the good news is that given a fair level field we will win most competitions. Because you are here do the efficient and excellent work that you it will demonstrate you can do it better and accomplish the Department’s business, that work will remain in house. You get the job done! You get the job done!
In the past two years, we have won 14 out 15 competitions and I am sure we will win the one ongoing now. We will win because of the good work of our staffs which will demonstrate the efficiency and cost effectives of DOL employees. You get the job done! You get the job!
Contracting out is not an effective process and does not result in cost savings. It was enacted so that the government would not be doing the business of the private sector not to replace the mission of the government with the private sector. For instance the government should not be building build airplanes. It was never meant to take over the enforcement of government laws and regulations. It is ineffective and in efficient and costs the American taxpayers millions of unnecessary dollars. It didn’t work during the Carter Administration; the Reagan and Bush I administrations, didn’t work in the Clinton Administration and doesn’t work now. We have lost jobs, hired contract employees and kept on trucking.
Though downsized, outsourced and overworked, DOL is the only federal agency that achieved green in all of the Presidential Management Initiatives, the only federal agency to get to green and still accomplish the basic mission of the Department - the Only Federal agency that can make that claim. We are one of the smallest federal agencies but our impact and effect touches more lives than any other federal agency. You, through hard work and diligence accomplished everything that asked of you, achieved every initiative and worked on behalf of the American worker. You are the best. You get the job done! You get the job done!
So never let those dour devotees of dread, darkness, despair and doom get you down? You’ve been downsized; demoralized; discouraged and disrespected but you responded by being eager, enthusiastic; efficient and have exceeded. You’ve been outsourced; obstructed; offended and overused, but you prepared, perspired, prospered and prevailed. You get the job done! You get the job done!
You’ve been bedeviled, beset, belittled and betrayed. You’ve reacted with calmness, clarity, candor, character and class. No matter the Administration, the Policy or the Politics, you have always accomplished the Department’s business. The American workers know it; the AFL-CIO knows it and appreciates what you do. You get the job done! You get the job done!
And so as the motto of the NCFLL says, and please feel free to adopt it because it shouts to the rooftops the great job you accomplish each and everyday. “WHERE AMERICA WORKS, WE’RE WORKING FOR YOU!” You are there for the American worker everyday. You get the job done! You get the job done!
God bless you. God Bless the Department of Labor and God Bless America!
Thank you.
In the past two years, we have won 14 out 15 competitions and I am sure we will win the one ongoing now. We will win because of the good work of our staffs which will demonstrate the efficiency and cost effectives of DOL employees. You get the job done! You get the job!
Contracting out is not an effective process and does not result in cost savings. It was enacted so that the government would not be doing the business of the private sector not to replace the mission of the government with the private sector. For instance the government should not be building build airplanes. It was never meant to take over the enforcement of government laws and regulations. It is ineffective and in efficient and costs the American taxpayers millions of unnecessary dollars. It didn’t work during the Carter Administration; the Reagan and Bush I administrations, didn’t work in the Clinton Administration and doesn’t work now. We have lost jobs, hired contract employees and kept on trucking.
Though downsized, outsourced and overworked, DOL is the only federal agency that achieved green in all of the Presidential Management Initiatives, the only federal agency to get to green and still accomplish the basic mission of the Department - the Only Federal agency that can make that claim. We are one of the smallest federal agencies but our impact and effect touches more lives than any other federal agency. You, through hard work and diligence accomplished everything that asked of you, achieved every initiative and worked on behalf of the American worker. You are the best. You get the job done! You get the job done!
So never let those dour devotees of dread, darkness, despair and doom get you down? You’ve been downsized; demoralized; discouraged and disrespected but you responded by being eager, enthusiastic; efficient and have exceeded. You’ve been outsourced; obstructed; offended and overused, but you prepared, perspired, prospered and prevailed. You get the job done! You get the job done!
You’ve been bedeviled, beset, belittled and betrayed. You’ve reacted with calmness, clarity, candor, character and class. No matter the Administration, the Policy or the Politics, you have always accomplished the Department’s business. The American workers know it; the AFL-CIO knows it and appreciates what you do. You get the job done! You get the job done!
And so as the motto of the NCFLL says, and please feel free to adopt it because it shouts to the rooftops the great job you accomplish each and everyday. “WHERE AMERICA WORKS, WE’RE WORKING FOR YOU!” You are there for the American worker everyday. You get the job done! You get the job done!
God bless you. God Bless the Department of Labor and God Bless America!
Thank you.
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