RAYMON M. POCINO, LABOR LEADER AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
134 Cong Rec E 1166, *
Congressional Record -- Extension of Remarks
Thursday, April 21, 1988
100th Cong. 2nd Sess.
134 Cong Rec E 1166
REFERENCE: Vol. 134 No. 52;
Continuation of House Proceedings of April 20, 1988, Issue No. 51; and
Proceedings of April 21, 1988, Issue No. 52.
TITLE: RAYMON M. POCINO, LABOR LEADER
AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
SPEAKER: HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH
OF NEW JERSEY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TEXT:
Text that appears in UPPER CASE identifies statements or
insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the House on the floor.
[*E1166] MR. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. MR. SPEAKER, ON SUNDAY, APRIL 24,
1988, THE BOYS AND GIRLS TOWN OF ITALY WILL BE HONORING TWO OF ITS OWN MEMBERS
FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. ONE OF
THE RECIPIENTS IS RAYMOND M. POCINO, A RECOGNIZED LABOR LEADER IN THE STATE OF
NEW JERSEY.
MR. SPEAKER, RAYMOND POCINO BEGAN HIS CAREER WORKING AS A PART TIME LABORER
AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 16. BY THE AGE OF 24, HE WAS WORKING FULL TIME IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL LABORER'S UNION LOCAL 172 OF SOUTH
JERSEY. BECAUSE OF HIS NOTABLE TALENT AND HARD WORK, RAY WAS THEN ABLE TO EMBARK
UPON AN IMPRESSIVE ASCENT THROUGH THE RANKS OF UNION
LEADERSHIP.
JUST 1 YEAR AFTER HE JOINED LOCAL 172, RAY BECAME A FOREMAN AND THEN AT THE AGE
OF 27, RAYMOND POCINO BECAME THE YOUNGEST BUSINESS AGENT IN THE HISTORY OF LABORER'S
LOCAL 172. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RAY WAS ELECTED A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD,
SERVING MANY YEARS AS CORRESPONDING SECRETARY AND THEN AS SECRETARY-TREASURY.
IN 1983, MR. SPEAKER, THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 172 ELECTED RAYMOND POCINO PRESIDENT
AND BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE UNION. THE BOYS AND GIRLS TOWN OF
ITALY REPORTS THAT DURING RAY'S TENURE AS PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP IN TH UNION
HAS INCREASED BY MORE THAN 75 PERCENT TO OVER 3,500 MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, RAY
LED THE UNION AS IT STRENGTHENED ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ITS
MEMBERS, EXPANDED HEALTH AND DENTAL SERVICES AND BOLSTERED MEMBER PARTICIPATION
IN UNION ACTIVITIES. RAY'S LEADERSHIP, HIS EFFECTIVENESS AND
HIS WAY OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE ARE EASILY CREDITED FOR THE UNION'S
EXPANSION AND INCREASED PRESTIGE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AS IS WITH MOST LEADERS, MR. CHAIRMAN, RAY'S SUCCESSFUL RECORD WITH LOCAL 172
HAS ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO TAP HIM FOR MANY IMPORTANT PROJECTS IN NEW JERSEY. GOV.
TOM KEAN APPOINTED RAY AS A COMMISSIONER FOR THE STUDY OF HIRING, EMPLOYMENT AND
COMPENSATION FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS. RAY HAS ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE
COALITION FOR TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND RENEWAL AND HE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE OF THE NEW JERSEY AFL-CIO; THE WOMEN IN
CONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE; AND ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF A JOINT PROJECT
BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY AND THE NEW
JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. RAY HAS ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE FOR THE ANNUAL DINNER/ROAST OF THE HEMOPHILIA FOUNDATION.
MR. SPEAKER, IT IS CLEAR TO SEE FROM HIS ILLUSTRIOUS BACKGROUND, THAT RAYMOND
POCINO IS A HARD WORKING MAN WHO HAS DEDICATED A LIFETIME TO AMERICA'S WORKING
MEN AND WOMEN AND TO IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PROJECTS. IN GRANTING HIM THEIR
DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS' AWARD, THE BOYS AND GIRLS TOWN OF ITALY ADDS THAT
RAYMOND POCINO IS "A MAN WHOSE LIFE EXEMPLIFIES INTEGRITY AND
FAIRNESS." I'D LIKE THE CONGRESS TO JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING RAY POCINO ON
HIS MANY ACHIEVEMENTS AND WISHING HIM THE VERY BEST FOR THE FUTURE.