Local 3 Mourns The Loss of Edward J. Cleary

Edward J. Cleary, former President of Local 3 and the New York State AFL-CIO has passed away at the age of 86. A true giant of the labor movement, Cleary worked tirelessly throughout his career on behalf of working men and women everywhere.
‰ÛÏFrom this day forth we speak with one voice, with one agenda for one movement.‰Û� These were the words echoed by Ed Cleary in his first inaugural address as President of the New York State AFL-CIO in 1984. From his earliest days as an apprentice in Local 3, Cleary recognized and stressed the importance of the unification of working men and women towards one common goal, the strength and survival of unionism. Cleary is regarded as one of the most successful and innovative labor leaders. He is remembered as a towering figure in the statewide labor movement with a commanding presence that could not be ignored. His service of nearly 50 years has born many accomplishments that cement his place in labor history and have helped to pave the way for the successes of today. Cleary has truly set a new standard for leadership.
Edward J. Cleary was born in 1930. He attended St. Francis DeSalles Elementary School and St. John‰Ûªs Preparatory High School in Brooklyn before entering an apprenticeship in 1949. Ed along with his brothers Thomas and John joined Local 3 following in their father Edward Cleary Sr.‰Ûªs footsteps, continuing the family tradition of trade unionism. Edward Jr. headed the apprenticeship committee for three years before completing the program and becoming an ‰ÛÏA‰Û� journeyman in 1955. Cleary was appointed in 1958 as a member of the Examining Board before being elected as a member of the Executive Board in 1960. Cleary served one year on the Executive Board before being elected to the office of Vice-President in 1961, the office of Assistant Business Manager in 1963 and eventually the President of Local 3 in 1964. Cleary served the membership of Local 3 with distinction before being tapped in 1984 to lead the 2.5 million-member New York State AFL-CIO.
The NYS AFL-CIO is a federation of 3,000 affiliated public sector, private sector and building trades unions throughout the state representing 2.5 million members, retirees and their families. Ed Cleary served as its president for fifteen years from 1984 to his retirement in 1999. Throughout his time in office, Cleary built upon the traditions of Samuel Gompers and George Meany who held the same office before him. He set out to unify and mobilize the State Federation to more effectively advocate for New York‰Ûªs working families. He increased the staff from fewer than ten to more than forty and expanded the work of the State AFL-CIO beyond its traditional roles of political and legislative action.
As an enduring legacy, Cleary moved the State Federation into a permanent headquarters building across from the State Capitol, which the Executive Council named after him upon his retirement as the Edward J. Cleary Building. Under his leadership, the State Federation moved into the 20th century by employing new computer and printing technologies. Through the hard recession years of the 1980‰Ûªs Cleary fought off layoffs for his members and promoted job-training. The Cleary Administration won a number of significant political and legislative victories including improvements in worker‰Ûªs compensation, unemployment insurance and the minimum wage. Cleary pushed for and was successful in getting passed the toxic tort legislation which requires compensation for both private and public employees who had been exposed to hazardous substances.
Cleary expanded upon the legislative and political goals of the Federation and created community service departments. Cleary‰Ûªs proudest accomplishment was the establishment of a statewide network of community services to aid and assist working men and women, non-union and union, in re-training, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, effects of worker relocation and plant closings, education, guidance and a myriad of other services.
In 1985, Ed was elected to the Board of Trustees of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies. In the same year, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Greater New York Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities Advisory Council. In addition, Ed served on the New York State Coastal Management Advisory Committee of New York Harbor Maritime Industry and was a charter member of the New York State Department of Labor‰Ûªs Child Labor Education Fund Committee. In 1998, Ed received an Honoree Doctorate of Humane Letters from the State University of New York, Empire State College, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School of Labor Studies. He has served both the electrical industry and the community in many capacities.
He served as a member of the New York City Board of Education Advisory Council for Occupational Education from 1965 to 1973; received the Civil Rights Award by Anti-Defamation League, 1965; member of the Electrical License Board of New York City from 1968 to 1973; Executive Board member of the New York City Central Labor Council; member of the National Council of Boy Scouts of America; Boy Scouts Silver Beaver Award, 1968; Construction Industry Good Scout Award,1982; member of the Board of Governors of the Building Congress of New York City; member of the New York City Office of Collective Bargaining; member of the American Arbitration Association; elected Secretary-Treasurer of the New York City and New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, 1973; appointed to the U.S. President‰Ûªs Advisory Council on Social Security, 1974 and member of the Advisory Board of the Labor College of New York City-Division of Empire State College.
Ed is survived by his wife Trudy, their three daughters and five grandchildren.

Ed Cleary receives an award from Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.