Those following the contemporary demise of the American trades union movement and wishing to learn about its last glorious days, would be wise to read Arch Puddington's scholarly, beautifully written biography of Lane Kirkland, the last of labor's great leaders.
In the tradition of the titans preceding him, stretching back through George Meany, A. Phillip Randolph and Samuel Gompers, Kirkland fought unstintingly for the welfare and rights of America's working men and women. At a time when America was beginning its drift to the right, Kirkland unified many disparate unions into a more powerful AFL-CIO, brought minorities and women into active roles, and successfully fought off management and government attempts to deprive workers of their hard won rights. A fervent patriot and World War II veteran, with Ronald Reagan, whom he vigorously opposed on domestic labor issues, he led the AFL-CIO in playing a profound role in support of the Solidarity movement in Poland, which led to the lliberation of eastern Europe and the downfall of the Soviet Union and its empire. Thereafter, Kirkland's day passed him by, as other leaders, with the support of the New Left, sought and eventually succeeded in usurping his position. Now the movement is hoist on its on petard, to the misfortune of American workers.
Puddington comes to his task well equipped as former executive director of the League for Industrial Democracy and the author of seminal works on the conditions of labor under the Soviet regime and the histories of Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe. This is an important book for those interested in 20th century labor history.
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Lane Kirkland: Champion of American Labor Books In Print, Audio Books.