George Meany

George Meany (1894–1980) was an American labor leader who served as president of the AFL–CIO from 1955 to 1979 and championed a strong national labor movement.

Walter Reuther: Walter Reuther was a United Auto Workers president and influential American labor leader. Reuther advocated a more reform-oriented labor politics and often clashed with Meany over the AFL–CIO’s direction.
AFL–CIO: The AFL–CIO is a federation of American labor unions formed in 1955 by merging the AFL and CIO. Meany led this federation for nearly a quarter-century after bringing its predecessor organizations together.
Taft–Hartley Act: The Taft–Hartley Act of 1947 amended U.S. labor law and restricted several union practices. Meany opposed the law’s restrictions and made its repeal a longstanding AFL–CIO goal.
Industrial Workers of the World: The Industrial Workers of the World is a radical labor union founded in 1905 that sought to organize workers across industries. Its revolutionary organizing tradition stood far from Meany’s pragmatic, institution-centered unionism.
John L. Lewis: John L. Lewis led the United Mine Workers and helped found the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Lewis’s break with the AFL created the rival labor federation Meany later helped reunite.
American Federation of Labor: The American Federation of Labor was a federation of craft unions founded in 1886. Meany rose through its plumbing union and became its president in 1952.
Landrum–Griffin Act: The Landrum–Griffin Act of 1959 regulated union governance and required financial disclosures. Meany supported reforms after revelations of corruption intensified pressure on organized labor.
Solidarity: Solidarity is an independent Polish trade union founded in 1980 that became a mass opposition movement. Meany’s international labor policy favored anti-communist unions, while Solidarity became a major challenge to communist rule.
Cesar Chavez: Cesar Chavez was a labor organizer who co-founded the United Farm Workers. Meany’s refusal to affiliate the farmworkers’ union exposed limits in the federation’s organizing priorities.
Congress of Industrial Organizations: The Congress of Industrial Organizations was a federation of industrial unions founded in 1935. Its merger with the AFL in 1955 created the organization Meany headed.

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