I'm not sure of the year, but it was probably the early or mid '80's and we were scheduled to have the F.I.T. commencement ceremonies at Radio City Music Hall.

A day before graduation, I received a call from the President of the musicians union informing me that his members were picketing the Music Hall and asked us, in solidarity, to honor his picket line.

The UCE certainly did not want to cross a picket line, but we also didn’t want to disappoint our graduating students or their families, some of whom had traveled great distances to express their pride in their children.

I told the President of the musicians union that I would get back to him later in the day . Then I met with President Marvin Feldman.and devised a plan.

If we could get SUNY Chancellor Wharton, (the commencement speaker) to announce his support of the strikers from the stage of the Music Hall, would the musician’s union be willing to call off their pickets for two hours, so that commencement could proceed without interruption.

My call to the President of the Musicians Union obtained his agreement that he would call off the pickets if the Chancellor would publicly support his union.

President Feldman then called Chancellor Wharton, explained the situation to him, and got his agreement to participate.

Commencement went off without a hitch. Chancellor Wharton, in his speech, thanked the union for halting their picketing to allow graduation to proceed without interruption. He also expressed support for their plight and wished them well.

The local radio news stations reported on the event and it proved to be a boon to the striking union

The lesson should not be lost. So much can be achieved when Unions and enlightened administrators work together