Jump to content

James Williams (labor leader): Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Srosen12 (talk | contribs)
68 edits
Expanded Labor union section, copied over from sandbox at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Srosen12/James_Williams_(labor_leader)
Srosen12 (talk | contribs)
68 edits
Finished labor union career section, copied over from sandbox at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Srosen12/James_Williams_(labor_leader)
Line 25: Line 25:


In August 1994, he was elected as the allied region general vice president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), a prominent labor organization with over 140,000 members in the construction industry across the United States and Canada.<ref name=":14">"James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". ''IUPAT''. Retrieved 2023-04-03.</ref> In August 1999, Williams was elected as the general secretary-treasurer of the IUPAT, where he served as a trustee on several pension funds, including the IUPAT Industry Pension Fund, the IUPAT Local Union and District Council Pension Fund, and the IUPAT General Officers, Staff, and Employees Retirement and Pension Fund.<ref name=":14" />
In August 1994, he was elected as the allied region general vice president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), a prominent labor organization with over 140,000 members in the construction industry across the United States and Canada.<ref name=":14">"James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". ''IUPAT''. Retrieved 2023-04-03.</ref> In August 1999, Williams was elected as the general secretary-treasurer of the IUPAT, where he served as a trustee on several pension funds, including the IUPAT Industry Pension Fund, the IUPAT Local Union and District Council Pension Fund, and the IUPAT General Officers, Staff, and Employees Retirement and Pension Fund.<ref name=":14" />

In April 2003, he was unanimously elected as the general president of the IUPAT by the union's General Executive Board.<ref name=":33">Winston, Sherie. "Williams Named Painters' Chief." ''Enr'' 248.16 (2002): 10. ''ProQuest.'' Web. 3 Apr. 2023.</ref> As president of IUPAT, Williams salary increased significantly, earning a top 15 wage for union leaders across the United States at the time.<ref>Strope, Leigh. "Reports show union leaders earning six-figure incomes." ''The Advocate'' (Baton Rouge, LA), sec. Business, 29 June 2004. ''NewsBank: Access World News.''</ref> On June 8, 2005, he was elected as a member of the Board of Trustees of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust and the Advisory Board of the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust.<ref name=":15">"James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". ''IUPAT''. Retrieved 2023-04-03.</ref> Williams retired as the president of IUPAT on April 1, 2013, replaced by IUPAT Executive General Vice President Ken Rigmaiden.<ref name=":52">"IUPAT General President James A. Williams Retires | Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO". Retrieved 2023-04-03.</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 14:22, 1 May 2023

For other people named James Williams, see James Williams (disambiguation).
James A. Williams
Williams at a rally for Obama in 2008
OccupationPresident of IUPAT
SpouseGerrie
Children4 children

James A. Williams was born in 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a prominent labor leader within the United States.[1] After serving in the U.S. Army, Williams worked his way into politics and labor unions.[2][3] He served in positions in Local Union 252 and on boards of various unions and companies.[3] Williams became the president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), where he served from 2003-2013.

Early life and career

Williams was born in 1951, and grew up in North Philadelphia and Kensington, Pennsylvania.[4][5] Williams graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia in 1968.[6] Following his high school graduation, Williams embarked on his professional journey as an apprentice with Glaziers, Architectural Metal and Glass Workers Local Union 252 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[7][8] He served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971 during the Vietnam War.[6] Upon returning home in 1971, he completed his apprenticeship and worked as a skilled journeyman glazier.[7] Williams later accomplished a significant personal milestone by completing his college degree in 2004.[6]

Family

As of 4/27/23, Williams is currently married to Gerrie Wiliams.[9] Together, they have 4 children, Danny, Chrissy, Aimee, and Jimmy.[9] Williams is part of a family with long-standing involvement with union work. Williams' grandfather worked as a union housepainter.[10] Similarly, Williams’ great-grandfather and father were both union glaziers.[10] Additionally, his son, Jimmy Williams, Jr., is currently the president of IUPAT, as of 4/27/23.[10] When he took over at age 43, Williams, Jr., was not only the youngest president in the history of IUPAT, but also the youngest within the building trades unions and any major affiliate of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of Unions in the United States.[11]

Labor Union Career

In 1975, Williams was elected as the president and business manager of Local Union 252.[12] He held this position while co-chairing their Pension, Annuity, Health & Welfare, and Vacation Funds, and he also served on numerous boards, including a position on the Philadelphia Private Industry Council.[13]

In August 1994, he was elected as the allied region general vice president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), a prominent labor organization with over 140,000 members in the construction industry across the United States and Canada.[14] In August 1999, Williams was elected as the general secretary-treasurer of the IUPAT, where he served as a trustee on several pension funds, including the IUPAT Industry Pension Fund, the IUPAT Local Union and District Council Pension Fund, and the IUPAT General Officers, Staff, and Employees Retirement and Pension Fund.[14]

In April 2003, he was unanimously elected as the general president of the IUPAT by the union's General Executive Board.[15] As president of IUPAT, Williams salary increased significantly, earning a top 15 wage for union leaders across the United States at the time.[16] On June 8, 2005, he was elected as a member of the Board of Trustees of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust and the Advisory Board of the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust.[17] Williams retired as the president of IUPAT on April 1, 2013, replaced by IUPAT Executive General Vice President Ken Rigmaiden.[18]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Williams (labor leader).
  1. ^ Von Bergen, Jane M. "Clear Idea of Building Diverse Union." Philadelphia Inquirer, May 06 2002, ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  2. ^ Winston, Sherie. "Williams Named Painters' Chief." Enr 248.16 (2002): 10. ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  3. ^ a b "James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". IUPAT. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  4. ^ Von Bergen, Jane M. "Clear Idea of Building Diverse Union." Philadelphia Inquirer, May 06 2002, ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  5. ^ "James A. Williams". prabook.com. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. ^ a b c "James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". IUPAT. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  7. ^ a b Winston, Sherie. "Williams Named Painters' Chief." Enr 248.16 (2002): 10. ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  8. ^ "IUPAT General President James A. Williams Retires | Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO". Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  9. ^ a b "James A. Williams". prabook.com. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  10. ^ a b c Von Bergen, Jane M. "Clear Idea of Building Diverse Union." Philadelphia Inquirer, May 06 2002, ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  11. ^ "Building Trades Leader: Any Politician Who Doesn't Back the PRO Act Shouldn't Get Labor's Support". In These Times. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  12. ^ Von Bergen, Jane M. "Clear Idea of Building Diverse Union." Philadelphia Inquirer, May 06 2002, ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  13. ^ "James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". IUPAT. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  14. ^ a b "James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". IUPAT. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  15. ^ Winston, Sherie. "Williams Named Painters' Chief." Enr 248.16 (2002): 10. ProQuest. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.
  16. ^ Strope, Leigh. "Reports show union leaders earning six-figure incomes." The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), sec. Business, 29 June 2004. NewsBank: Access World News.
  17. ^ "James A. Williams - General President Emeritus". IUPAT. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  18. ^ "IUPAT General President James A. Williams Retires | Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO". Retrieved 2023-04-03.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Williams_(labor_leader)&oldid=1152651306"