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Vol. 151 |
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No. 61 |
Senate
Statement of
Senator Dianne Feinstein
"Miguel Contreras”
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version
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and fellow Californian Miguel Contreras, secretary-treasure of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO who died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday, May 6 at the age of 52.
Working families and the Latino community lost a great champion with the passing of Miguel Contreras.
As the son of migrant farmworkers Miguel also labored in the agriculture fields of California. Yet through his passion to ensure equity and fairness for workers, Miguel advanced to become one of the premier leaders in the local, state and national labor movement.
As a young man Miguel worked with Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers Union to organize farm workers to secure improved working conditions and better wages.
In 1996, Miguel became the executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL -CIO.
Under his leadership the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor grew to become a powerful voice for working men and women of Los Angeles County.
Miguel was the driving force behind the transformation of an organization that went from a union of 125,000 members to a multi-ethnic coalition of union workers now nearly 800,000 strong.
Through his leadership Miguel led a union-sponsored grass roots political drive that played a significant role in deciding the outcome of five Los Angeles Congressional seats and countless state and local races.
Miguel tirelessly spent his life working to empower others, no matter their station in life.
While Miguel Contreras may be remembered most for his tenacity as a labor leader and role model for the Latino community, his efforts to secure a better future for American workers everywhere will live on.
My deepest sympathy goes out to his wife, Maria Elena Durazo and their two sons Michael and Mario.