TRIBUTE TO CHARLES COGEN

WHEREAS, Charles Cogen, as president of the American Federation of Teachers from 1964-1968, presided over a new era of teacher unionism that emphasized organizing and collective bargaining; and

WHEREAS, Charles Cogen, as the first president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, pioneered the early battle for teacher collective bargaining as he led the first major teacher strikes in the United States; and

WHEREAS, under Charles Cogen's leadership, the UFT won its first collectively bargained contract in 1962, becoming a model for teacher unions throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, as AFT president, Cogen focused on organizing drives across the country to bring about collective bargaining for all teachers; and

WHEREAS, as AFT president, Charles Cogen presided over the move of the union's national headquarters from Chicago to Washington, D.C., thus expanding the union's role in national politics and lobbying in Congress; and

WHEREAS, Charles Cogen led the AFT through a period of unprecedented growth in numbers and in influence, which continues today; and

WHEREAS, Charles Cogen believed that teacher unionism could only succeed if it was united with the larger labor movement and fought for trade union rights throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, Charles Cogen was strongly committed to the principle of democracy and justice in the union and in society and was quick to fight injustice and inequality, whether from foreign dictatorship or tyranny in his own country:

RESOLVED, that the seventy-fifth convention of the AFT acknowledge the distinction and pioneering spirit of a leader who was ahead of his time and created a crucial bridge between teacher professionalism and trade unionism; and

RESOLVED, that AFT acknowledge and honor the contributions of this extraordinary union leader whose fighting spirit and determination paved the way for the future of teacher unionism and the modern AFT.