Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 13 › Conversation 013-022

Nixon phone call with Shultz on Pay Board and George Meany

Wednesday, October 27, 1971 · 5:27 PM–5:29 PM ET · White House Telephone ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Shultz, George P.Conversation013-022 onTape 13 (tape position 00:50:17–00:52:19)StartWednesday, October 27, 1971 at 5:27 PMEndWednesday, October 27, 1971 at 5:29 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 013-022 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and George Shultz discuss labor leader George Meany’s request to allow alternates for Pay Board members during upcoming scheduling conflicts. Because Meany and colleague Floyd Smith are concerned that their absences will leave them without voting representation on critical issues, Nixon directs Shultz to coordinate with Judge George Boldt and Donald Rumsfeld to adjust the executive order accordingly. Shultz agrees to resolve the legal technicality and update Meany on the administration's progress to prevent any premature public remarks.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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What he was calling me about was the first meeting of the pay board.
He said it went very well, but he said that at the pay board meeting they had agreed, and he went through the reasons that the principals could have alternates.
the principals were away on something, and he pointed out that he had to be away for two weeks or three weeks from November 7th and November 27th.
That's when his conventions are, and that Red Smith had to be away.
And he meant two out of the five, he said, critical period where he had to be away, and they wanted to have that chance for their alternate with the power to act for them.
He said that they agreed on that this morning, and that Judge Bold had called him tonight,
and said that while the legislation might allow that, the executive order did not provide for that sort of thing.
And he says that he thinks it's very important that this
this be worked out, they're going to meet again.
I said, well, don't say anything.
And now he said, well, we don't meet again until 9.30 in the morning.
And he says, can't you get some sort of a legal opinion that will work it out?
We don't have any problem with that, Mr. President, at all.
I anticipated that that would be the case.
I wouldn't think that would be the case.
But you see, as I told him, I said, well, I can see your point of view because obviously it means your fellow's
wouldn't have the votes.
He said, that's exactly the point.
He says, the two of us are going to be away when these very important things are going to be coming up, and it'll blow the whole thing.
So I said we'd get at it.
So what I'm asking you to do, if you'll talk to Bolton and Rumsfeld and change the order and do what's necessary, will you do that, please?
Yes, sir.
We'll work that out.
Fine.
And you might, if you might do this...
I don't want him to say anything, and you might, if you do feel this is the way, you might give Meany a call and tell him that I have called you and that you're working on it, because I told him that.
I said, look, it's 5.30, and I've got a lawyer here right now, you know, and I was trying to buy time.
So would you do that, please?
Yes, sir.
All right.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On October 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:27 pm and 5:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 013-022 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 13-22

Date: October 27, 1971
Time: Unknown after 5:27 pm and 5:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with George P. Shultz; this recording begins at an unknown time while the
telephone call is in progress.

[See Conversation No. 604-8]
                                              16

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)




     President's conversation with George Meany
          -Pay Board
                 -Meany's schedule
                 -Floyd E. ("Red") Smith's schedule
                 -George H. Boldt's opinion

     Pay Board
          -Shultz's forthcoming calls
               -Boldt, Donald H. Rumsfeld
               -Meany

Also recorded on October 27, 1971

  • 604-001 1:32 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:32 pm and 2:53 pm.
  • 604-002 1:32 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:32 pm and 2:53 pm.
  • 604-003 1:32 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:32 pm and 2:53 pm.
  • 604-007 3:45 PM · 49 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 081-002 3:48 PM — President Richard M. Nixon and budget advisors, including John D. Ehrlichman, John N. Mitchell, John B. Connally, George P. Shultz, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Charles W. Colson, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Edwin L. Harper, Lewis A. Engman, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 3:48 pm to 5:22 pm.
  • 604-008 5:27 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:27 pm to 5:29 pm.
  • 604-009 5:29 PM · 44 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Stephen B. Bull, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:29 pm to 6:14 pm.
  • 604-010 6:14 PM · 53 sec — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:14 pm and 11:59 pm.

All 24 conversations from October 27, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 013-022, October 27, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/013-022 (accessed September 18, 2026).