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~ ' . FOR: FROM: Inter::i at :Lonal Associ2.tion of Fire Fighters, AVi.., -8:I: C 905 Si~t0enth Street, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20036 FE 7-8070 ·Maurer, Fleisher, Zen & Associates, Inc. 1120 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Wash ington, D. C. 20036 FE 7-°8070 F'OR IMMEDIATE R:C:LEASE, SEPTEMBER 8, 19-_66_ AFL-CIO PRESIDENT MEANY, FIRE FIGHTERS' PRESIDENT BUCK VOICE -SUPPORT FOR'NON-STRIKING MEMBERS OF \ ATLANTA FIRE FIGHTERS' UNION WASHINGTON--Staternents of support for the members of Local 134 of the International Association of Fire Figh ·c,.=-::-' ": , who declined to join a strike by a breakaway unaffiliated. organization of fire fighters was voiced today by AFL-CIO President George Meany and President Wm. D. Bucko:' the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO. Mr. Meany said in a tel egram to President Jam es Moore of the Atlanta Labor Council, AFL-CIO, that: "President Buck of International Association of Fire Fighters has informed me of the vicious campaign being carried on to condemn those members of Local 134 bf Fire Fighters in Atlanta who have remained loyal to observance of their international union constitution prohibiting strikes. �, . . .- .. _.,, -2- 'I y:ould urge you and Atlanta Labor Council 1 to lend all moral support to those loyal members of Local 134 who are aware of their obligation, as fire fighters, to the public safety of the city of Atlanta. 11 Imm~Ji~t cly followin g the anncuncement Mr. Meany 1 s wire, IAFF President Buck issued the folloKing statement: \ "The officers and members of the International Association of Fire Fighters are gratified by the stater.:ent of support issued by AFL-CIO President George Meany on behalf of the responsible and courageous members of Local 13L~ , IAFF, who have kept faith with their responsibility to prot e ct the people bf Atlanta from fire under all possible circumstances. 11 It is time to set the record straight and cl ear. The g ood union memb ers in Atlanta are the members of Lo cal J34 who hav e s tayPd at th eir post, in acc ordance with their union constitution and their personal oath of r esponsibility. 11 In a ll the exci t ement of charges a nd accu s ation., propag anda has clouded over the fact that these Local 13~members are the r ea.l trade unionists , who deserve tl:ie support of organized labor an d the general public. George Meany has clearly seen t he true facts and on behalf of American labor h e has spoken out in support of basic AFL- CIO principles. --- �'\ ,I • -3- · "The IAFF recognizes that tl)e fire fighters of Atlanta have for many years had serious grievances, and the city g overnment's slowness in responding to the needs of the fire fighters is directly to blame for the present situation. But even that past failure on the part of the city government does not justify the action I of those who walked away from their union and . their obligation. "On behalf of the IAFF we salute the men of Local 134 who stayed at their post. We can only hope that Atlanta recognizes and applauds their loyalty by developing a program of real and effective collective bargaining and we offer our full support in helping them rebuild Local 134 to full strength once again."

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