Labor Leader

John Sweeney speaks on behalf of 13 million American workers in his role as the latest President of the AFLCIO. 

Bronx-born Sweeney has a long and tested history with the unions in New York, and has come up trumps with his new position. He started his career in the unions with Local 32B of the Service Employees’ International Union, which represents doormen, elevator operators and custodians throughout New York City and State. 

The 61-year-old Sweeney worked as a gravedigger while attending Iona College in New Rochelle, and then took a position with IBM. But he soon quit to take a job with the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union. He eventually moved to Local 32B, and reached the pinnacle within that union, becoming president in 1976 and representing more than 1.1 million service employees until he won his present position. 

Sweeney was behind the merger of his mostly male local with Local 32J, which pre-dominantly represented female office cleaners. During his career, Sweeney did not shy from using confrontational tactics when necessary.