Herbst, Frank, 1917-1979.

Frank Herbst was born in 1917 in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended New York City public schools. He graduated from City College in 1938 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. While a student, he had become active in campus politics. He was elected president of the Student Council as well as president of the City College Chapter of the American Student Union. He first found work as an accountant and later took civil service exams by which he was hired as a clerk and then social investigator (case worker) with the New York City Department of Welfare. He joined the State, County and Municipal Workers Union Local 1 and became manager of the Local.

The outbreak of World War II interrupted Herbst's union work. He enlisted in the Navy and spend three years as Quartermaster First Class and Assistant Navigator on a destroyer escort. After discharge in 1946, he returned to the union and accepted the position Local 1 Representative (business agent), which through merger, became part of the United Public Workers. Under his leadership, the Local achieved significant gains in wages, working conditions, staff promotions and grievance procedures, as well as in services to Welfare clients.

In 1950, the CIO forced out the United Public Workers and other national unions as "communist-dominated". New York City Welfare Commissioner Hilliard used McCarthyite rhetoric and union-busting tactics to attempt destroy Local 1. Herbst himself was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He left the union in 1952 in order to enable the union to maintain official recognition and continue to represent the workers. He then joined the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company where he worked as a pension consultant. The remnants of Local 1 merged with Teamsters Local 237.

Herbst, who taught himself how to play the guitar while in the Navy, was known for his outgoing personality and dynamic speaking style. In the early 1970s he became the probono consultant coordinator of Hospital Workers District 1199's housing development, 1199 Plaza. He was married to Eugenia Victoria Levin and had two sons, Peter and Edward. He died in 1979.

From the description of Papers, 1937-1993. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 477252572

Frank Herbst was born in 1917 in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended New York City public schools. He graduated from City College in 1938 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. While a student, he became active in campus politics. He was elected president of the Student Council as well as president of the City College Chapter of the American Student Union. After graduation, he found work as a case worker with the New York City Department of Welfare (later the Human Resources Administration). He joined the State, County and Municipal Workers Union, Local 1 and became the manager of the Local.

The outbreak of World War II interrupted Herbst’s union work. He enlisted in the Navy and spent three years as a Quartermaster First Class and Assistant Navigator on a destroyer escort. After discharge in 1946, he returned to the union and accepted the position of Local 1 Representative (business agent), which through merger became part of the United Public Workers of America. Under his leadership, the Local achieved significant gains in wages, working conditions, staff promotions and grievance procedures, as well as in services to the Welfare clients. Herbst was a regular columnist in Welfare Reporter, the newsletter of Local 1.

In 1950, the CIO forced out the United Public Workers of America and other national unions as “communist-dominated”. Herbst himself was called in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. He left the local in 1952 in order to enable the union maintain official recognition and continue to represent the workers. The remnants of the Local merged with Teamsters Local 237. In the early 1970s Herbst became a key figure in the planning and construction of the 1199 Plaza housing development. He died in 1979.

From the guide to the Frank Herbst Papers and Photographs, Bulk, 1941-1957, 1937-1993, (Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive)