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'''Victor V. Bussie'''(pronounced BEW SEE) (January 27, 1919 &ndash;  September 4, 2011)<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=victor-bussie&pid=153511546|title=Victor Bussie obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=September 8, 2011}}</ref> was until his retirement in 1997 the 41-year unopposed president of the [[Louisiana]] AFL-CIO, having first assumed the mantle of union leadership in 1956. Journalists often described him as the most significant non-elected "official" in his state's politics. Bussie's influence with governors and state legislators became so great in the 1970s that a trade association known as the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry was established as a counterbalance to the AFL-CIO. LABI won a huge victory in 1976 with the passage of the state's still-standing [[Right-to-work laws|right-to-work law]].​

'''Victor V. Bussie''' (pronounced BEW SEE) (January 27, 1919 &ndash;  September 4, 2011)<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=victor-bussie&pid=153511546|title=Victor Bussie obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=September 8, 2011}}</ref> was until his retirement in 1997 the 41-year unopposed president of the [[Louisiana]] AFL-CIO, having first assumed the mantle of union leadership in 1956. Journalists often described him as the most significant non-elected "official" in his state's politics. Bussie's influence with governors and state legislators became so great in the 1970s that a trade association known as the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry was established as a counterbalance to the AFL-CIO. LABI won a huge victory in 1976 with the passage of the state's still-standing [[Right-to-work laws|right-to-work law]].​

==Defender of the Longs==

==Defender of the Longs==

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Bussie recalled having been born in poverty in the community of Montrose in Natchitoches Parish to Christopher "Chris" Bussie and the former Fannie LaCaze.<ref name=obit/> The senior Bussie was a unionized employee of the Texas Pacific Railroad.<ref name=stimes>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110905/NEWS01/110905005/Victor-Bussie-labor-leader-dead-92|title=Victor Bussie, Labor leader dead at 92|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Bussie had a brother and five sisters, one of whom, Authree B. Gorrell of [[Austin]],  [[Texas]], was still living as of 2011. At some point, the Bussies headed south to Rapides Parish because another sister, Fannie Mae Bussie Heard (1924–2009) of Shreveport, was born in the Boyce community. Fannie Heard was one of the first female [[Certified Public Accountant]]s in northwestern Louisiana, having also been licensed to practice in [[California]] and [[Nevada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/shreveporttimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=127847620|title=Obituary of Fannie Mae Bussie Heard|publisher='The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=June 3, 2009}}</ref> Bussie, who was half [[Native Americans|Choctaw Indian]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20070808154804/http://www.blueskywaters.com/page_96.htm</ref> commented on his background, as follows:​

Bussie recalled having been born in poverty in the community of Montrose in Natchitoches Parish to Christopher "Chris" Bussie and the former Fannie LaCaze.<ref name=obit/> The senior Bussie was a unionized employee of the Texas Pacific Railroad.<ref name=stimes>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110905/NEWS01/110905005/Victor-Bussie-labor-leader-dead-92|title=Victor Bussie, Labor leader dead at 92|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Bussie had a brother and five sisters, one of whom, Authree B. Gorrell of [[Austin]],  [[Texas]], was still living as of 2011. At some point, the Bussies headed south to Rapides Parish because another sister, Fannie Mae Bussie Heard (1924–2009) of [[Shreveport]], was born in the Boyce community. Fannie Heard was one of the first female [[Certified Public Accountant]]s in northwestern Louisiana, having also been licensed to practice in [[California]] and [[Nevada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/shreveporttimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=127847620|title=Obituary of Fannie Mae Bussie Heard|publisher='The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=June 3, 2009}}</ref> Bussie, who was half [[Native Americans|Choctaw Indian]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20070808154804/http://www.blueskywaters.com/page_96.htm</ref> commented on his background, as follows:​

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

My mother and father struggled to send us to school because of the high cost of school books. There finally came a time when they could no longer afford to buy books for seven children. We children were told that we could no longer attend school.<ref name=autogenerated3>[http://www.hueylong.com/perspectives/share-your-stories.php Share Your Huey Long Stories<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

My mother and father struggled to send us to school because of the high cost of school books. There finally came a time when they could no longer afford to buy books for seven children. We children were told that we could no longer attend school.<ref name=autogenerated3>[http://www.hueylong.com/perspectives/share-your-stories.php Share Your Huey Long Stories<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

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In 1959, as AFL-CIO president, Bussie checked himself into a mental health facility in [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], Texas, as a ruse for the planned confinement of Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], who was committed by his wife, Blanche Revere Long and Long's [[nephew]], [[U.S. Senator]] [[Russell  Long]]. "It’s hard to believe that I was involved in it. It was a mess. He (Long) could have easily sued me, but that never occurred to me. He was a friend, and I just tried to help as best I could."<ref name=blum>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/31263899.html|author=Jordan Blum|title=Bussie helped strengthen unions in Louisiana,|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=October 20, 2008, p. 1A.</ref>

In 1959, as AFL-CIO president, Bussie checked himself into a mental health facility in [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], Texas, as a ruse for the planned confinement of Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], who was committed by his wife, Blanche Revere Long and Long's [[nephew]], [[U.S. Senator]] [[Russell  Long]]. "It’s hard to believe that I was involved in it. It was a mess. He (Long) could have easily sued me, but that never occurred to me. He was a friend, and I just tried to help as best I could."<ref name=blum>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/31263899.html|author=Jordan Blum|title=Bussie helped strengthen unions in Louisiana,|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=October 20, 2008, p. 1A.</ref>

 

==Bussie in Shreveport==​

==Bussie in Shreveport==​

Bussie, a veteran of the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]], joined the Shreveport Fire Department and became a leader in the firefighters' union. He became chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau and the president of the Central Trades and Labor Council. [[James C. Gardner]], who served as [[mayor]] of Shreveport from 1954 to 1958, described Bussie as "well-spoken" and his "polite and reasonable manner made him widely sought as the 'labor member' of various civic boards." As a second assistant chief, a position Bussie obtained without waiting for civil service seniority, his signature was required on all certificates of occupancy for commercial buildings, a position of considerable power.<ref>[[James C. Gardner]], ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport,'' Vol. I,  [[Sarah Hudson-Pierce]]"s Ritz Publications, p. 303.</ref> Some in the business community accused Bussie of requiring work beyond the municipal building or fire code regulations in order to create more employment within the building trades. To check Bussie, officials activated, as permitted by the city charter, a building code board of appeals to prevent abuses.<ref> ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport'', Vol. I, pp. 304–305.</ref>​

After service in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]], Bussie joined the Shreveport Fire Department and became a leader in the firefighters' union. He became chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau and the president of the Central Trades and Labor Council. [[James C. Gardner]], who served as [[mayor]] of Shreveport from 1954 to 1958, described Bussie as "well-spoken" and his "polite and reasonable manner made him widely sought as the 'labor member' of various civic boards." As a second assistant chief, a position Bussie obtained without waiting for civil service seniority, his signature was required on all certificates of occupancy for commercial buildings, a position of considerable power.<ref>[[James C. Gardner]], ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport,'' Vol. I,  [[Sarah Hudson-Pierce]]"s Ritz Publications, p. 303.</ref> Some in the business community accused Bussie of requiring work beyond the municipal building or fire code regulations in order to create more employment within the building trades. To check Bussie, officials activated, as permitted by the city charter, a building code board of appeals to prevent abuses.<ref> ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport'', Vol. I, pp. 304–305.</ref>​

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Early in 1955, Bussie, acting through the Central Trades and Labor Council during his lunch hour, called a strike of waitresses at Brocato's Restaurant in Shreveport when the company declined to rehire a fired waitress. In retaliation, Shreveport Public Safety Commissioner [[J. Earl Downs]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ritzpublications.com/1954-58-shreveport-city-council.html|author=Mary Jimenez|title=The $19 million solution: Bond election sets up 1950's Shreveport for growth|date=March 6, 2005|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=June 27, 2013}}</ref> the older brother of an influential state Senator, Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs (1911-1985) of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], demoted Bussie to the rank of captain and assigned him to a fire station. Bussie took unpaid leave and appealed Downs' decision to the Fire and Police Civil Service Board. After fourteen sessions and fifty hours of testimony, the civil service board voted 4–1 to uphold the demotion, with the lone dissenter being the firefighters' representative. Bussie announced that he would appeal to the courts. Meanwhile, he became the state AFL-CIO president for the remainder of his working career and lived in Baton Rouge. No action was ever taken by the courts in Bussie's appeal.<ref> ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport'', Vol. I, pp. 321–322.</ref>​

Early in 1955, Bussie, acting through the Central Trades and Labor Council during his lunch hour, called a strike of waitresses at Brocato's Restaurant in Shreveport when the company declined to rehire a fired waitress. In retaliation, Shreveport Public Safety Commissioner [[J. Earl Downs]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ritzpublications.com/1954-58-shreveport-city-council.html|author=Mary Jimenez|title=The $19 million solution: Bond election sets up 1950's Shreveport for growth|date=March 6, 2005|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=June 27, 2013}}</ref> the older brother of an influential state Senator, Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs (1911-1985) of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], demoted Bussie to the rank of captain and assigned him to a fire station. Bussie took unpaid leave and appealed Downs' decision to the Fire and Police Civil Service Board. After fourteen sessions and fifty hours of testimony, the civil service board voted 4–1 to uphold the demotion, with the lone dissenter being the firefighters' representative. Bussie announced that he would appeal to the courts. Meanwhile, he became the state AFL-CIO president for the remainder of his working career and lived in Baton Rouge. No action was ever taken by the courts in Bussie's appeal.<ref> ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport'', Vol. I, pp. 321–322.</ref>​