James Kennedy
Nominee: James Kennedy
Nominated by: Jeanne Haglund Daugherty
James A. Kennedy was born in Pittsburgh, PA on July 23, 1893 and died in
Erie, PA on December 18, 1958. He was the Father of Local 506.
Founder and charter member of UE Local 506, James A. Kennedy, (Jim) devoted his
adult life in organizing a strong rank and file Union at the General Electric.
In May 1937, shortly after the UE Local 506 was chartered by theInternational
UE, Jim became the Union's first President. He was
re-elected each year until Decemaber 1942, at which time, he was elected
Business Agent, a position he was to keep until the time of his death.
The 'Journal of American History' carried an article by Ronald Schatz titled
'Union Pioneers':
Jim Kennedy's crucial role as catalyst of the organizing movement, a man who won
memberships and loyalty to UE 506 by means of his absolute sincerity and his
unquestioned integrity. He emerges as the vital force behind the formation of
506 in the Depression of 1937. Without Kennedy, its doubtful that a local could
have been founded at GE for several more years. This fact has now become a
matter of nation wide attention and can be a further source of pride and
inspiration to 506 members and the the Erie - area labor movement as a whole.
Another aspect of Jim Kennedy's tremendous contribution to the tradition of rank
and file political action, specifically his run for Congress in 1948 against
Carroll D. Kearns. Although he was defeated, he did quite well. In 2008, working
people are facing problems not that different as they did in 1948. We still need
full employment, we still need national health care and we still need Unionized
labor strength.BACK | |
