On Labor Day, we remember the life of state labor leader Victor Bussie, who died yesterday at age 92. As former president of the AFL-CIO, the Montrose native was the strongest force in the halls of power, "except for maybe the governor," political player Bob Mann told the Advocate. (By governor, we assume he means EWE). But it was no mistake that Bussie wielded a long shadow in the house that Long built. Bussie's legendary battles in Baton Rogue were preceeded by a starring role in a real-life drama starring Gov. Earl K. Long.

In one of the highlights of the volumes of Long family lore, Bussie was called upon to stand for Uncle Earl at a Long-averse Galveston mental instiution in 1959. Long's family told the hospital staff he was hallucinating, and thinking his name was Bussie. Earl filled out the admission papers, then Bussie, who was brought along for the ride, told the staff the truth. But he was already committed.

Bussie maintained the helm of the AFL-CIO for 41 consecutive years. He was a fierce advocate for health care, integrating and women's rights. He was constantly a target, seeing his home bombed in 1966. The 1976 passage of Louisiana's right-to-work law, which prohibits tying union membership to employment, was the biggest blow of his career. During the campaign, business leaders tied Bussie and labor leaders to violence on the protest lines that were untrue. He called the law "right-to-work-for-less," and fought for its repeal until his retirement in 1997.