Patrick J. Campbell
Encyclopedia
Patrick J. Campbell was a carpenter and an American
labor
leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
from November 1, 1982 to February 1988.
Campbell was born in 1918 in New York City
to Peter and Mary Campbell. His father was a city mass transit employee. He attended public schools. After graduation, he apprenticed as a carpenter.
He married Catherine Keane in May 1940. The couple had two sons and a daughter.
He served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II
, rising to the rank of staff sergeant
and seeing combat action in the Pacific theater.
After the war, he moved to Rockland County, New York
, and joined Carpenters Local 964. He was elected president of the local in 1954.
In 1955, he was hired by the international union as an organizer. In 1957, the international promoted him to staff representative, and he serviced contracts in Rockland and three nearby counties.
In 1966, he was appointed assistant to the president of the Carpenters, Maurice Hutcheson
, and elected a vice president of the union.
He was elected to the general executive board of the 1st District of the Carpenters in 1969, and resigned his position as local president the same year.
In 1970, Campbell was elected a vice president the New York State AFL-CIO and vice president of the New York State Building Trades Council.
In 1974, he was elected second vice president of the international union. He was elected first vice president in 1980.
Carpenters president William Konyha
resigned unexpectedly effective October 31, 1982. Campbell was elected to succeed him.
In 1983, Campbell initiated a boycott
of the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
, accusing the company of failing to pay fair wages to 1,500 lumber workers represented by the union. The company broke from an industry-wide bargaining group, which had agreed to an 8.5 percent wage hike over three years. The action triggered a strike
on June 24, 1983. But the company outlasted the union, and the Carpenters affiliate at Louisiana-Pacific disbanded.
Between 1985 and 1986, Campbell allegedly authorized six construction loans totaling more than $95 million. The loans were made from the union's $200 million reserve fund. According to press reports, Campbell made the loans based on advice from Empire Contract Consulting Inc., a New York firm that also serviced and monitored the loans. Developers began to experience trouble repaying the loans in 1987, but Empire Contract Consulting did not make the union aware of the problems until 1989.
Campbell resigned as president of the Carpenters in mid-term in February 1988 due to ill health. He was succeeded as president by Sigurd Lucassen
.
Lucassen revealed the problems with the loans in September 1989.
Patrick Campbell died on February 21, 1998, in Palm City, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labor
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
from November 1, 1982 to February 1988.
Campbell was born in 1918 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Peter and Mary Campbell. His father was a city mass transit employee. He attended public schools. After graduation, he apprenticed as a carpenter.
He married Catherine Keane in May 1940. The couple had two sons and a daughter.
He served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, rising to the rank of staff sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
and seeing combat action in the Pacific theater.
After the war, he moved to Rockland County, New York
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, and joined Carpenters Local 964. He was elected president of the local in 1954.
In 1955, he was hired by the international union as an organizer. In 1957, the international promoted him to staff representative, and he serviced contracts in Rockland and three nearby counties.
In 1966, he was appointed assistant to the president of the Carpenters, Maurice Hutcheson
Maurice Hutcheson
Maurice Albert Hutcheson was a carpenter and an American labor leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from 1952 to 1972....
, and elected a vice president of the union.
He was elected to the general executive board of the 1st District of the Carpenters in 1969, and resigned his position as local president the same year.
In 1970, Campbell was elected a vice president the New York State AFL-CIO and vice president of the New York State Building Trades Council.
In 1974, he was elected second vice president of the international union. He was elected first vice president in 1980.
Carpenters president William Konyha
William Konyha
William Konyha was a carpenter and an American labor leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from January 1, 1980 to October 31, 1982....
resigned unexpectedly effective October 31, 1982. Campbell was elected to succeed him.
In 1983, Campbell initiated a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation , commonly known as "LP", is a United States building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. LP pioneered the U.S. production of oriented strand board panels. Today, LP is the world’s largest producer of OSB, and...
, accusing the company of failing to pay fair wages to 1,500 lumber workers represented by the union. The company broke from an industry-wide bargaining group, which had agreed to an 8.5 percent wage hike over three years. The action triggered a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
on June 24, 1983. But the company outlasted the union, and the Carpenters affiliate at Louisiana-Pacific disbanded.
Between 1985 and 1986, Campbell allegedly authorized six construction loans totaling more than $95 million. The loans were made from the union's $200 million reserve fund. According to press reports, Campbell made the loans based on advice from Empire Contract Consulting Inc., a New York firm that also serviced and monitored the loans. Developers began to experience trouble repaying the loans in 1987, but Empire Contract Consulting did not make the union aware of the problems until 1989.
Campbell resigned as president of the Carpenters in mid-term in February 1988 due to ill health. He was succeeded as president by Sigurd Lucassen
Sigurd Lucassen
Sigurd Lucassen was a carpenter and an American labor leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from February 1988 to 1995.-Early life:...
.
Lucassen revealed the problems with the loans in September 1989.
Patrick Campbell died on February 21, 1998, in Palm City, Florida
Palm City, Florida
Palm City is a census-designated place in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,097 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Port St...
.