Hardy, George

History

A history of George Hardy's career should begin with his father, Charles "Pop" Hardy, whose work with the union began in San Francisco in 1926 as a theater janitor in Local 9 of the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU). "Pop" Hardy became president of his local and an International Vice President in charge of west coast organizing. His leadership in the union is recorded in a memorial album in this collection. In 1933, George Hardy also started his union career as a member of Local 9. He was soon at his father's side, organizing office building janitors into the newly-chartered Local 87.

Organizing was to become the central theme of George Hardy's life. Following a stretch in the U.S. Army during World War II, Hardy was assigned by the BSEIU president to Los Angeles to organize janitors in an area described as the anti-union bastion of the open shop. Los Angeles and BSEIU Local 399 became Hardy's home local until his death in 1990. George Hardy organized janitors and he also brought new groups of working men and women into the BSEIU--public workers and hospital workers also became members of the union. In 1950, he formed the BSEIU Western Conference to promote cooperation and communication between locals from San Diego to Seattle. Hardy was described as the hardest-working union leader in California. His rise to leadership in the union followed his accomplishments. In 1950, he was named a vice-president, and in 1971, he was elected the president of BSEIU (changed in 1972 to SEIU), and held that position until 1980 when he retired.

From the guide to the George Hardy Photograph Collection No. 14, (San Francisco State University. Labor Archives & Research Center)