Labor & Employment Law

Bloomingdale, Snyder Elected to Top Posts of Pa. AFL-CIO; George Named President Emeritus

By Mike Hall

Richard W. Bloomingdale
Bill George

Richard W. Bloomingdale was elected president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO by delegates to the state federation’s convention last week in Pittsburgh. He succeeds William George, who retired after 20 years in the top post. Frank Snyder was elected secretary-treasurer.

Bloomingdale served as Pennsylvania AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer since 1994. Prior to that, he was state political and legislative director for AFSCME Council 13. He also held several offices in AFSCME Local 449. Bloomingdale told the delegates workers today are ”facing the toughest economic challenges since the formation of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.”

These difficult challenges present historic opportunities for all of us to secure greater progress for all workers. Labor must continue to lead in the struggle for good jobs now and in giving all workers the strong voice they need and deserve to build a better a life for their families and their communities. Together we will build an economy that works for all not just the few.

Snyder is a former United Steelworkers (USW) organizer and labor educator and former president of USW Local 8148. More recently he was the national AFL-CIO’s state director for Pennsylvania.

George, who was named president emeritus, started his career as a union activist with USW Local 1211, in 1960 in Aliquippa, Pa., and served in numerous union leadership positions before joining the union’s international staff at USW District 20 in 1971. For more on George, see this profile from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on April 19, 2010 (boomark / email).