Massachusetts AFL-CIO

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO was formed as the Massachusetts state branch of the American Federation of Labor in 1887. Its purpose was to organize workers, advance the interests of workers through organization and legislation, and to provide general assistance in the event of difficulties such as strikes and lockouts.

From the guide to the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Records, Accretion MS 369., 1980-1997, (Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst)

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO began as the state branch of the American Federation of Labor in 1887. They merged with the Massachusetts State Congress of Industrial Organizations at their 1958 convention to form the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Its purpose was to organize workers, advance the interests of workers through organization and legislation, and to provide general assistance in the event of difficulties such as strikes and lockouts.

• 1887: C.G. Wilkins
• 1887 - 1888 : Charles Rawbone
• 1888 - 1889 : Henry Abrahams
• 1889 - 1890 : G.W. Clark
• 1890 - 1891 : J.F. Melaven
• 1891 - 1894 : O.A. Robbins
• 1895 - 1899 : J.D. Pierce
• 1899 - 1900 : Jonas Weener
• 1900 - 1902 : Frank H. McCarthy
• 1902 - 1904 : James R. Crozier
• 1904 - 1906 : Francis J. Clarke
• 1906 - 1908 : Edward Cohen
• 1908 - 1909 : Philip H. Sweet
• 1909 - 1911 : Thomas J. Durnin
• 1911 - 1912 : James W. Wall
• 1912 - 1915 : E.S. Alden
• 1915 - 1916 : Joseph J. Hunt
• 1916 - 1918 : George H. Wrenn
• 1918 - 1920 : William A. Nealey
• 1920 - 1921 : Thomas H. Gerraughty
• 1921 - 1922 : Jeremiah F. Driscoll
• 1922 - 1924 : William Walsh
• 1924 - 1926 : Michael J. O'Donnell
• 1926 - 1928 : John Van Vaerenewyck
• 1928 - 1930 : Joseph J. Cabral
• 1930 - 1934 : James T. Moriarty
• 1934 - 1938 : John F. Gatelee
• 1938 - 1942 : Nicholas P. Morrissey
• 1942 - 1946 : William J. Doyle
• 1946 - 1949 : John J. DelMonte
• 1949 - 1955 : Henry J. Brides
• 1955 - 1958 : John A. Callahan
• 1958 - 1964 : J. William Belanger (first president of Massachusetts AFL-CIO)
• 1964 - 1972 : Salvatore Camelio
• 1972 - 1977 : Joseph A. Sullivan
• 1977 - 1979 : William J. P. Cleary
• 1979 - 1990 : Arthur R. Osborn
• 1990 - 1998 : Joseph C. Faherty
• 1998 - 1998 Present : Robert Haynes

From the guide to the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Records MS 369., 1908-2009, (Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst)

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO was formed as the Massachusetts state branch of the American Federation of Labor in 1887. Its purpose was to organize workers, advance the interests of workers through organization and legislation, and to provide general assistance in the event of difficulties such as strikes and lockouts.

• 1887: C.G. Wilkins
• 1887 - 1888 : Charles Rawbone
• 1888 - 1889 : Henry Abrahams
• 1889 - 1890 : G.W. Clark
• 1890 - 1891 : J.F. Melaven
• 1891 - 1894 : O.A. Robbins
• 1895 - 1899 : J.D. Pierce
• 1899 - 1900 : Jonas Weener
• 1900 - 1902 : Frank H. McCarthy
• 1902 - 1904 : James R. Crozier
• 1904 - 1906 : Francis J. Clarke
• 1906 - 1908 : Edward Cohen
• 1908 - 1909 : Philip H. Sweet
• 1909 - 1911 : Thomas J. Durnin
• 1911 - 1912 : James W. Wall
• 1912 - 1915 : E.S. Alden
• 1915 - 1916 : Joseph J. Hunt
• 1916 - 1918 : George H. Wrenn
• 1918 - 1920 : William A. Nealey
• 1920 - 1921 : Thomas H. Gerraughty
• 1921 - 1922 : Jeremiah F. Driscoll
• 1922 - 1924 : William Walsh
• 1924 - 1926 : Michael J. O'Donnell
• 1926 - 1928 : John Van Vaerenewyck
• 1928 - 1930 : Joseph J. Cabral
• 1930 - 1934 : James T. Moriarty
• 1934 - 1938 : John F. Gatelee
• 1938 - 1942 : Nicholas P. Morrissey
• 1942 - 1946 : William J. Doyle
• 1946 - 1949 : John J. DelMonte
• 1949 - 1955 : Henry J. Brides
• 1955 - 1958 : John A. Callahan
• 1958 - 1964 : J. William Belanger (first president of Massachusetts AFL-CIO)
• 1964 - 1972 : Salvatore Camelio
• 1972 - 1977 : Joseph A. Sullivan
• 1977 - 1979 : William J. P. Cleary
• 1979 - 1990 : Arthur R. Osborn
• 1990 - 1998 : Joseph C. Faherty
• 1998 - 2011 : Robert J. Haynes
• 2011 - : Steven Tolman

From the guide to the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Records MS 369., 1902-2008, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries)