Sherdie Jones
Sherdie Jones, a longtime labor leader in Champaign-Urbana who helped forge
the civil service system at the UI, died Sept. 21 in Williamson, Mich. He
was 98.
As president of the Twin Cites Federation of Labor (now the AFL-CIO of Champaign
County) in the early 1940s, Jones first proposed that the UI establish a
labor institute. Working with members of the UI board of trustees and with
his long-time associate in the federation, Cliff James, Jones drafted the
board of trustees resolution which lead to the founding of the UI's Institute
of Labor and Industrial Relations in 1947.
Jones was a longtime participant in ILIR colloquia programs, courses and
conferences. He made himself available to ILIR faculty members and students
who were interested in labor developments in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Jones also was instrumental in drafting and passing the Universities Civil
Service Act, which established a personnel code for the university's non-academic
employees.
Jones is survived by a son, three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
The Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations plans to recognize Jones'
contributions during its 50th anniversary conference Oct. 3-4, 1997.
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