Weinstock, Louis, 1903-

Louis Weinstock was born in Sarospatak, Hungary in 1903, the son of a vine worker and a midwife. In 1923 he emigrated to the United States where he became a painter's apprentice, gaining admission to the Brotherhood of Painters Local 499 (the German and Hungarian language local) in 1925. In 1926, Weinstock married Rose who was also an activist. He joined the Communist Party and worked with the Communist-led rank and file movement against the corrupt head of Painters District 9, Philop Zousner. During the Depression, he led the AF of L Trade Union committee for Unemployment Insurance and Relief lobbying for benefits for the unemployed and fighting to change the AF of L's policy. With the help of Harry Bridges, of the West Coast Longshoreman, and Elmer Brown, of the Typographers Union, Weinstock headed a committee to rally from AF of L local unions and ultimately reversed the position of William Green, then head of AF of L's Executive Council. In February 1936, he successfully defeated Zousner, becoming secretary-treasurer of Painters District 9 until 1950 when, upon conviction under the Smith Act, he was expelled for his Communist Party activities. He was sentenced to three years in prison and served 15 months before the Court of Appeals threw out the case. Upon release he continued to work as a union painter although the international union did not reinstate him until 1968. After his retirement, Weinstock was active in senior citizen organizations. He died on November 26, 1994.