Nixon, Counts & Sanchez on Labor-management relations

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Yes, I'm amazed.

Thank you for trying to get one of those.

Fine.

I can take one sitting.

Well, what is the, uh, the, uh, it's the general rule.

I told, uh, Roger Brown and John O'Connor that I'd go with them and, uh,

take this along for a year or so.

I don't know what I'm not.

This is the smartest thing in the world to do.

It's almost an impossible assignment, but I like talent.

Why do you think it's impossible?

Well, the idea is to bring order out of chaos and leave the management of economic areas in the construction industry.

Would you like a coffee?

I think nothing.

I just have coffee.

That's right.

Well, the construction.

It may work.

Well, I hope you keep all the posts

He's a good guy, good hardball.

I've met him, talked to him, and I told him I'd do anything good for him, and I'll be pleased to work with him on this.

Well, this, I don't know, as I say, that may be

They made the wrong decision.

I had several real and fine opportunities.

It's probably the best offer anyone can get.

What about Vector?

Well, Vector was a backup to this thing, but United Aircraft offered me a tremendous spot and I should have taken it.

But, you know, I've been a little bit embarrassed because

The press releases and everything say, you know, you're looking for a money house.

Money is not good.

We don't need to do it.

Well, you know, it has been a great experience.

I've enjoyed it.

Those are important companies.

The private sector still produces what we're aware of .

I'd like to get back to Jay, who is interested in becoming a labor lawyer.

down in Texas now with the board, and it's taken a couple years learning that sort of stuff.

And I kind of like to do something with him when we get out of this thing, too.

I didn't mean to sort of labor match him.

Consult with the board.

You know, they're very few people who deal with the people that's due.

That's the problem.

Yes.

No, you're right.

Well, a few labor people that I've seen aren't very .

I'll tell you what, it takes a little bit of guts.

And your biggest problems are with your management starting that thing out, articulating it.

Or the managers you see, they don't want to .

The labor lawyers are usually the clever Jews.

Right.

And smart.

Yeah, labor lawyers in the negotiation of the business, they're very few of them that really have a feel of it.

And they create more confusion in that negotiation.

I guess I have a character referring to Goldberg.

Yeah.

He was damn smart.

Goldberg.

He had that word from Steele that he was much smarter.

Oh, Lausmann.

That was just unbelievable.

There are some good labor lawyers with the University.

There's no question about it.

Dave Freedon, Dean of Students, is a good one.

Is he?

Yes, he is.

He knows his way around.

Of course, they've got good counsel.

The SEAL workers are well represented.

Of course, so is Leonard Woodcock and his group.

The first part of the problem is that you can't bargain as a unit.

It's all fragmented.

You're based by union, so we'll get you as one.

It's even harder after the victory of the various capital structures too and that sort of thing.

And one of the tough things about this spot is the fact that the organizations that exist to bargain, like AGC and some of these others, view with alarm any efforts such as we're undertaking and will be undertaking.

It's really a system.

It's self-interesting, too.

So it'll be an interesting .

I think this idea that Richard Boyd, well, today this is just as interesting.

Well, he got Charlie Morris down at SMU.

He went to SMU and both to business school and to law school.

Then he took the California and Texas course.

This time passed them both.

And he had some good opportunities in labor law firms back there and a couple of good government.

But he chose to take the spot with the board and a year or so of that.

That's very good.

Well, that's where he'll get .

So that's a lovely hand.

Of course, I've enjoyed the government, very, very much.

You've been in the middle of a lot of big fights.

Oh, yeah.

And I've had some great successes.

And it's given me wonderful opportunities to deal with tough people.

We've earned it.

We're expecting it.

We've pleased everybody all the time.

I was particularly delighted by the reception that later gave me because I think I probably have as good a rapport with the leaders as anybody.

And coming from that, I think that was quite a... Oh, you've got a problem.

Very, well, I was in California when I got this call, and me, we came in last night.

We still have our home out there, and Jan will be there.

Yes, yes, Andre, you've moved.

I've got a house in Chevy Hills.

Janice is taking care of it for us.

We bought a place out there, and we got tired of moving.

We were babysitting houses.

We couldn't get it furnished.

It's very nice.

We have a lot of people that live off of this park.

Well, this is the country, and we're just six miles from here.

There's no stop light until we get to the Roosevelt Bridge.

It's nice.

Do you have a lot of acre?

I have about three-quarters of an acre.

And it's a large organization.

We should, of course, Virginia and I, that's... No, we're not saying we have a nice place.

Virginia's been great.

She's just been absolutely fantastic.

I haven't gone so much.

It'd be very easy for her to, you know, complain about being alone and that sort of thing.

She's just been great.

So we've had, it's been a wonderful experience.

Yeah.

We follow you.

I know how, I just know how

Tremendous, uh, you must be inside these prisoners.

Well, this is what we need to do.

Must make them feel ashamed.

These guys suffering for six years, five years, four years, seven years, they come out saluting.

Well, this is the kind of thing that we need a lot more of.

They all, you know, all the prisoners, the private people, are .

What did it with the bombing, you know?

They said there were 263 senators, and there were, like, 68, 32s over that place.

After their jailers changed, .

Well, you know, this is .

It had to be .

Well, that's the kind of decision that,

But makes for greatness, I think, if you have to, you know.

I think that's dying down.

I think more and more young people are just believing all that sort of stuff.

The new culture is fading, is what I'm trying to say.

The basics are there.

Jesus is great today.

You certainly appreciate what you've done here.

Well, I appreciate it.

You've done a hell of a tough job, Mr. President.

It's been great to know what you've been doing.

And I appreciate it very much for taking the time and the honor to do that.

Did you get the ashtray?

Did you get one of our presidential industries?

I don't think we have any presidential.

We have the vice-president.

Yes, sir.

I don't see which of your children are married.

He's married both.

All three of them.

I've got to be sure we've got everything here.

Do you have any boys?

Is there a younger kid?

I've got two grandsons.

Grandsons.

Thank you.

Wait a minute.

Girls.

Well, thank you, Steve, very much.

I appreciate it.

Yes, let's stick around and watch.

But I feel good.

I did a good job for a little while.

And I think I did a good job.

Don't do this thing if you aren't pleased with it.

Take a job with a major company.

That's terribly important, not just the money.

Get their labor management relations in a decent way.

Well, you know, as I say, it was a great opportunity.

And I don't know.

I, Roger, I guess, pushed me into this one.

Yeah, you would.

And please give my very best to the family.

I will thank you so very much.

Nixon, Counts & Sanchez on Labor-management relations

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on February 15, 1973

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