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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao
Memorial Service for Former Secretary of Labor John
Dunlop
Washington, DC
January 15, 2004
President Sweeney, Secretary-Treasurer Trumka, and Professor Dunlop's
family members, today my colleagues at the Department of Labor are pleased to
join our voices with so many distinguished guests in this celebration of the
life and work of former Secretary of Labor John Dunlop, whose tenure spanned
from March 18, 1975 to January 31, 1976.
As a teacher, scholar, and public servant, John Dunlop lived a full and
active life.
I always enjoyed seeing Secretary Dunlop. With his trademark bow tie and
wide smile, he always looked remarkably similar to his portrait, painted
decades ago, which hangs in the great hall at the Department of Labor.
His presence added warmth, fun and living history to any event he
attended.
As others have noted, Secretary Dunlop's academic accomplishments were
impressive. He was-and is-considered, one of the most well-known labor
economists of the 20th century. He was a life-long who mentored several
generations of labor economists and scholars. And he ensured that his extensive
knowledge would be preserved for future generations by authoring a
distinguished collection of books and articles.
But John Dunlop was much more than an accomplished theoretician. He was
one of the foremost practitioners of the art of industrial relations and
mediation during a challenging time in our nation's history.
This background served John Dunlop well throughout his wide-ranging
government service-including his time as Secretary of Labor under former
President Gerald R. Ford. Although some of the challenges of that era are very
different from the ones we face today, the passion and focus with which
Secretary Dunlop handled them are timeless.
Secretary Dunlop is also a man, who, long after his official government
service ended, continued to seek solutions to the most complex public issues,
such as healthcare and retirement security.
As a graduate of Harvard, I share another connection with Secretary
Dunlop. Although I never had the privilege of taking one of Professor Dunlop's
courses, we all benefited from his contributions to Harvard University as a
scholar, mentor and mediator, who helped preserve and enhance that institution
and its status as a distinguished center of learning.
Today I want to offer my condolences to the Dunlop family, and to all
those who knew and loved him. John Dunlop's experience and energy will be
missed by all of those who strive to build a brighter future for America's
workers.
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