Phillip Landrum; Labor Reform Bill Bears His Name

Phillip Landrum, 83, who served as Georgia’s 9th District congressman for 12 terms and who was a principal sponsor of the Landrum-Griffin Labor Reform Bill of 1959. Elected to Congress in 1952, Landrum and Rep. Robert P. Griffin of Michigan designed their legislation as a bill of rights for union employees. The law, which gave the government greater control over union affairs, was considered essential to weeding out corruption from the union hierarchy and came about as a result of the Jimmy Hoffa hearings. Landrum, a Democrat, also was instrumental in the passage of several key education bills, including the Library Services Act and the Vocational Educational Act. He left Congress in 1977. Prior to running for the House, Landrum was an assistant attorney general in his native state. On Monday in Jasper, Ga., of complications from a stroke.