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People's Choice: Backstage
Labor, party leader Shump remembered as activist, recruiter, friend
Friday, August 31, 2007
During a 13-year battle with leukemia, Joe Shump compiled a scrapbook of his life, a gift for his family that told the story of labor in Dayton and the history of the Montgomery County Democratic Party.
His death on Wednesday at 83 marked the end of his story with the scrapbook unfinished, but friends and former opponents of the union boss and leader of Montgomery County's Democratic Party say his legacy remains,
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"Joe Shump's impact on our party was tremendous," said Dennis Lieberman, former chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. "He was an activist. He was recruiter. He was a friend."
Shump started his career at the Frigidaire Division of General Motors in 1946. He went through the ranks of organized labor to become president of Local 801 of the International Union of Electrical Workers, which was Dayton's largest union at the time.
It was a role he fell into after serving in the Army during World War II, said Bonnie Shump, his wife of 37 years.
"Joe wanted to be a criminal attorney, but he never did what he wanted to do. That was a blessing, because he got to do so many other things," Mrs. Shump said. "It's like, that was the way it was supposed to be."
Vern Lewis, a former manager of industrial relations for Frigidaire, came to know Shump when they were on opposite sides of the bargaining table.
"We did some tough things together," Lewis said. "We developed a trusting relationship that turned into friendship."
Lewis attributes Shump for saving thousands of jobs at Frigidaire. It happened over an afternoon drink.
"I saw we were going down the tube after the 1970 (labor) settlement. I laid it on the line to Joe that we were virtually going out of businesses," Lewis said.
Shump knew the offer to renegotiate the contract could only come from the union. Frigidaire's appliance division was in deep trouble and more than 5,000 jobs were at stake.
"He called a press conference to say the contract ought to be renegotiated," Lewis said. "Joe knew there was a problem and he was willing to put his own neck on the line."
Shump became the local party chairman in 1969 and served until 1971, when he was appointed state director of industrial relations under Gov. John Gilligan. After Gilligan's defeat, Shump returned in 1975 and became party chairman again in 1976.
At age 63, he became Montgomery County treasurer, a job he held from 1975 until his resignation in 1987.
James E.P. Sullivan, Shump's right-hand man when he was treasurer, was already working in the office when the 'big guy' took control.
"From the day he walked into the office, we knew he was going to be the boss. He had a spark," Sullivan said.
Shump stepped down as treasurer after a task force found the county had paid as much as $3.9 million more than market rates for securities bought from Government Guaranteed Funding Corp. of Houston, Texas.
"I make no apologies to anybody," Shump said to party officials in 1986. "We did the best we could."
Ultimately, Shump put his job where his beliefs were. He quit the treasurer's office and backed Sarah Harris to replace him.
Arrangements for Joe Shump
Viewing: 4-8 p.m. Tuesday. Schlientz & Moore Funeral Home, 820 Miamisburg-Centerville Road.
Funeral: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Memorial United Methodist Church, 26 Locust St., West Carrollton
