Conversation 042-057

TapeTape 42StartFriday, April 16, 1971 at 7:04 PMEndFriday, April 16, 1971 at 7:05 PMTape start time01:06:48Tape end time01:07:27ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Nixon, Richard M. (President)Recording deviceWhite House Telephone

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman briefed President Nixon on employment statistics within the steel industry to support a specific administration narrative. They confirmed that while the total number of steelworkers union members had increased, the actual number of employees working in the steel industry had declined by approximately 5% since 1960. Nixon intended to use these figures to emphasize the contraction of the industry's workforce during public discourse.

Steel industryLabor statisticsEmployment dataPublic messagingUnited Steelworkers

Audio

NARA Description

On April 16, 1971, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:04 pm and 7:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-057 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-57

Date: April 16, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:04 pm and 7:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the President.

     Steelworkers
          -Statistics

Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yep.

Mr. Haldeman calling you, sir.

Yeah.

There you are.

You okay?

Yeah.

On the steelworkers, I can give you that all employees in the steel industry in 1960 were 651,000.

Yeah.

In 1971, 609,000.

Yeah.

That's all I need.

Down about 5%.

Now, that's probably the best figure to use.

There's a whole lot of others on members of the union.

I just want to get the idea that there's less in the industry today than there was before.

There are less steelworkers now.

There are more members of the steelworkers union, but there are less steelworkers in the industry.

That's right.

I got it.

That's all I needed to know.

Okay.

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