Conversation No. 787-12
Date: September 26, 1972
Time: 12:04 pm-12:30 pm
Location: Oval Office


The President met with John H. Lyons, Martin J. Ward, Peter Fosco, Thomas F. Murphy,
Andrew T. Haas, Wylie Lawhead, Kenneth M. Edwards, Hunter P. Wharton, Joseph T. Power,
Charles H. Pillard, Edward J. Carough, James D. Hodgson, Laurence H. Silberman, Willie J.
Usery, Jr. and S. Frank Raftery; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of
the meeting

       Greetings and introductions
             -Hodgson
             -[Photograph session]
                 -Murphy
                 -The President’s schedule
                      -Recent Bricklayers Union convention
                          -Bricklayers Union convention, Atlantic City, 1974
                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s schedule
                      -Federal employees

       Photo session
            -Arrangements

       [Photograph session]

       The Administration's relations with labor
            -Forthcoming statement by building trades union
                -Endorsement of the President
                -Release
                     -Timing
            -Discussions with Labor Department
                -Growth of stability, opportunity
                                      23
              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Nov-03)

     -Discussions with Labor Department
         -James J. Davis and Robert L. Bacon Act
              -Administration
         -Anti-labor legislation
     -Labor Department
         -Staffing
              -Occupational safety
                   -Unknown person
     -Labor participation in Administration
         -George Meany
         -Usery
              -Postal strike
         -Recommendations
     -Broad based administration
       -The President’s speech at Republican National convention, Miami
               -Partisanship
               -Business-labor conflict
     -Quotas
         -Restrictions
              -Opportunity ceiling
     -National Commission for Industrial Peace
         -Mention in 1972 Labor Day speech
         -Membership
              -1972 election
              -Advice sought from labor leaders

Building trade unions
      -Previous cabinet room meeting with Cabinet Committee on construction,
       September 30, 1969
          -Timing
          -Charts
          -Construction Industry Collective Bargaining Commission
      -New approach
          -Labor-management relations
Relations with Labor department
      -Wage and price controls
          -Removal
               -Adjustment period
               -Energy crisis
                  -Power plants
                  -Security
                      -Power shortages
             -Manpower
                                       24
              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Nov-03)

             -Growth of jobs
             -Level of employment
             -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
                 -Adjustment of building codes
                 -Involvement of Secretary [George W. Romney]
                      -Joint effort
                      -Union input

Labor convention resolutions
     -Wage and price controls
     -Standardization program

Building trades endorsement of the President
      -Presidents
     -American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
             -Building Trades department
                  -Neutrality policy
                  -Raftery
                  -Robert A. Georgine
      -Relations with the Department of Labor
          -Hodgson
          -Silberman
      -AFL-CIO
          -Neutrality
      -Presidents
          -Absentees
               -Neutrality, indecision
      -Legislative conference, April 1972
          -Invitation to the President

The Administration’s relations with building trades
     -Economic recovery
         -Housing
         -Labor-management relations
     -Foreign policy
         -The President's November 3, 1969 speech
              -Anti-war protestors
              -Support for Administration policy
                   -Business leaders, educators, media
                   -Hardhats
                   -Meany statement
     -Support for Administration policy
          -Cambodia
                                              25
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                 -Bombing and mining decision of May 8, 1972
                    -Withdraw of US troops
                    -Negotiation leverage
                    -President’s recent trip to Texas

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:04 pm.

       The President’s schedule
            -British Ambassador [George R.S. Baring][Earl of Cromer]

Bull left at unknown time before 12:30 pm.

       The Administration’s relations with building trades
            -Foreign policy
                -Support for Administration policy
                     -Democrats for Nixon
                     -Democrats for America
                     -National defense
                     -Commitments
                     -Open door policy
                     -National security
                          -Hard hats

       Building trades endorsement of the President
            -Labor committees for re-election of the President
            -Hodgson
            -Meany
                 -Conversation with the President during previous golf
                  game
                      -Neutrality
                      -Accountability
                           -Electoral politics
            -Accountability of union leader
                 -Electoral politics
                      -Rank and file
                      -Politicians
                 -Restrictions
                      -Compared to business leaders
                           -Chief executive officers
                                -Board of directors
                                     -Stockholders
                           -Bases of support
                 -Example
                                              26
                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Nov-03)

                      -Bricklayers
             -Discussions during convention

       Winston Churchill
            -Memoirs
                -Potsdam
                    -End of World War II
                    -Harry S. Truman
                    -Josef V. Stalin
                    -Franklin D. Roosevelt
                         -Death
                    -British elections
                         -Flight to London
                    -Conversation with Stalin
                         -Elections
                              -Two party system

       Presentation of Presidential gifts
            -Cufflinks
                 -Presidential seal
            -Pins

       The President's schedule
            -Bricklayers union convention, 1974
            -National Conference of Building and Construction Trades Department, April 1973
            -Forthcoming trips to New York and California

Lyons, et al. left at 12:30 pm.