Bay Area pays tribute to S.F. Labor council head

By Marilyn Bechtel

SAN FRANCISCO - More than 1,000 leading trade unionists, elected officials and community leaders turned out last week to pay enthusiastic tribute to Walter L. Johnson, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Labor Council.

The Labor Council's Oct. 26 Labor/Neighbor COPE dinner was also a rallying point for the city's Nov. 2 mayoral election. Incumbent Mayor Willie Brown Jr., who had organized labor's wholehearted support, made it into a runoff.

Labor Council President Josie Mooney opened the tributes to Johnson, saying he is "unafraid to stand up to anyone, anywhere and remind them that the working man and woman deserve a decent wage, housing, health care - a man whose life is about each of us."

Calling him "the clearest voice on all issues," peace and disarmament, equality and the fight against all forms of racism and discrimination, Brown credited Johnson for the San Francisco electorate's consistent backing of progressive, pro-working family legislators at all levels.

A surprise visitor was Jesse Jackson, who praised the Labor Council head as "the hallmark of integrity and dignity."

He stressed the "huge implications" the San Francisco election has for next year's elections throughout the country. "If the coalition holds together in San Francisco, it's good news for all Americans," he said.

"If America sees a bridge builder like Willie Brown as a leader," Jackson added, "we can regain the Congress in 2000."

Assembly Majority Leader Kevin Shelley and Assemblymember Carole Migden presented certificates to Johnson on behalf of the state legislature.

Shelley called Labor/Neighbor - the S.F. Labor Council's grass-roots political education and outreach program - "the reflection of labor at the best it can be, working to elect those who care about issues important to working families."

California Labor Federation President Tom Rankin credited Johnson with "setting a model in San Francisco, which labor councils throughout the state are emulating." He singled out the role of Labor/Neighbor in electing pro-labor officials.

Former National Labor Relations Board head Ben Gould praised Johnson's emphasis on an inclusive labor movement. He said Johnson was one of the first to call for the unity in action of working people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Among others honoring Johnson were Supervisors Alicia Becerril, Sue Bierman and Mabel Teng on behalf of the S.F. Board of Supervisors; John F. Henning, California Labor Federation executive secretary-treasurer emeritus; Stan Smith, head of the S.F. Building and Construction Trades Council; Transit Workers Union head Larry Martin; and Steve Roberti, regional director, U.S. Department of Labor.

Addressing the crowd at the end of the program, Johnson called the labor movement a "bulwark against dehumanization." He urged the audience to continue to relate to each other in the most human way, and "don't get lost in all the computers!"

Settling in San Francisco following World War II, Johnson soon became an active member of Department Store Employees Union Local 1100. He was elected president of the local in 1958 and secretary-treasurer in 1964 - a position he held until he was elected secretary-treasurer of the S.F. Labor Council in 1985.

A dedicated member of the Lutheran Church, he has also served on the boards of many community organizations.