William H. Young (labor leader)
Encyclopedia
William H. Young is an American labor union
leader. He was president of the National Association of Letter Carriers
(NALC) from 2002 to 2009 and also a vice-president of the AFL-CIO
.
and joined the United States Postal Service
in 1965 shortly after graduating from high school. After serving for two years in the US Army, he returned to the postal service and was elected a shop steward of NALC Branch 1115 (later incorporated into Central California Coast Branch 52) and became its president in 1971. In the succeeding years he rose through the union hierarchy first at state, then at at national level. He was elected national vice president of the union in 1994 and national executive vice president in 1998. On October 28, 2002, he was elected the 17th president of the NALC (succeeding Vincent R. Sombrotto) after a rank-and-file ballot in which Young received 79% of the votes and took up his post in December of that year. At the union's national convention in 2006, he was re-elected president by acclamation
and served in that post until his retirement in 2009.
During Young's tenure as president of the NALC, the union developed new grievance procedures, negotiated a five-year contract with the US Postal Service providing for regular wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments which the membership ratified by a margin of 9 to 1, and increased its participation in politics. A Leadership Academy was also established to train future leaders of the union. Young appeared several times at United States congressional hearings including those on the overhaul of the US Postal Service in February 2004, the contracting out of letter carrier jobs in April 2007, and the implementation of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act in July 2007. At the time of his retirement from the presidency of the NALC, Young served on the AFL-CIO Executive Council as well as on its Executive Committee and Political Committee. He was also vice chair of the AFL-CIO Executive Council's Community Partnerships Committee, a national vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association
, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs at Wayne State University
.
Young resides in Maryland
with his wife, Deborah. The couple have four children.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He was president of the National Association of Letter Carriers
National Association of Letter Carriers
The National Association of Letter Carriers is an American labor union, representing non-rural letter carriers employed by the United States Postal Service...
(NALC) from 2002 to 2009 and also a vice-president of the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
.
Biography
Young was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
and joined the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in 1965 shortly after graduating from high school. After serving for two years in the US Army, he returned to the postal service and was elected a shop steward of NALC Branch 1115 (later incorporated into Central California Coast Branch 52) and became its president in 1971. In the succeeding years he rose through the union hierarchy first at state, then at at national level. He was elected national vice president of the union in 1994 and national executive vice president in 1998. On October 28, 2002, he was elected the 17th president of the NALC (succeeding Vincent R. Sombrotto) after a rank-and-file ballot in which Young received 79% of the votes and took up his post in December of that year. At the union's national convention in 2006, he was re-elected president by acclamation
Acclamation
An acclamation, in its most common sense, is a form of election that does not use a ballot. "Acclamation" or "acclamatio" can also signify a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval in certain social contexts in ancient Rome.-Voting:...
and served in that post until his retirement in 2009.
During Young's tenure as president of the NALC, the union developed new grievance procedures, negotiated a five-year contract with the US Postal Service providing for regular wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments which the membership ratified by a margin of 9 to 1, and increased its participation in politics. A Leadership Academy was also established to train future leaders of the union. Young appeared several times at United States congressional hearings including those on the overhaul of the US Postal Service in February 2004, the contracting out of letter carrier jobs in April 2007, and the implementation of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act in July 2007. At the time of his retirement from the presidency of the NALC, Young served on the AFL-CIO Executive Council as well as on its Executive Committee and Political Committee. He was also vice chair of the AFL-CIO Executive Council's Community Partnerships Committee, a national vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
.
Young resides in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
with his wife, Deborah. The couple have four children.
See also
- National Rural Letter Carriers' AssociationNational Rural Letter Carriers' AssociationThe National Rural Letter Carriers' Association is an American labor union that represents Rural Letter Carriers employed by the United States Postal Service...
- National Postal Mail Handlers UnionNational Postal Mail Handlers UnionThe National Postal Mail Handlers Union is a progressive labor union representing more than 50,000 Mail Handler craft members in United States Postal Service facilities across the United States.- Purpose :...
- American Postal Workers UnionAmerican Postal Workers UnionThe American Postal Workers Union is a labor union in the United States. It represents employees of the United States Postal Service who are clerks, maintenance employees, and motor vehicle service workers...
External links
- William H. Young. Passing the baton to a new generation. The Postal Record (July 2009)
- Official website of the National Association of Letter Carriers