Michael Casey (unionist)
Michael Casey | |
|---|---|
 Casey c. 1902 | |
| San Francisco Commissioner of Public Works | |
| In office January 8, 1902 – January 8, 1913 | |
| Appointed by | Eugene Schmitz |
| Preceded by | A. B. Maguire |
| Succeeded by | Adolph Judell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 21, 1860 Elphin, County Roscommon, Ireland |
| Died | May 2, 1937 (aged 76) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | Irish-American |
| Political party | Union Labor |
| Occupation | Labor unionist |
Michael Casey (September 21, 1860 – May 2, 1937) was an Irish-born American labor unionist and politician who served as San Francisco Commissioner of Public Works from 1902 to 1913.
Born in Elphin, County Roscommon, in Ireland, Casey emigrated with his family to the United States in 1871. When Michael was 12, the family settled in San Francisco. From 1889, Casey worked as a teamster, driving a team of horses. In 1900, he and John P. McLaughlin founded a local of the Team Drivers' International Union in the city. The following year, he led the union through a major strike, during which he was nicknamed "Bloody Mike" by opponents, a title which he embraced.[1]
In 1902, Casey was appointed Commissioner of the city's Board of Public Works, where he served until 1913. He was the leader of the anti-Schmitz faction of the Union Labor Party.[2] Eventually, he became disillusioned with local politics, and decided to focus his time on labor unionism.[1]
In 1903, the Team Drivers merged into the new International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which appointed Casey as its West Coast organizer. In 1912, he won election as second vice-president of the union. In the role, he opposed strikes, and negotiated an end to the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike. He died in 1937, still in office.[1][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Jordan, Donald; O'Keefe, Timothy (2005). The Irish in the San Francisco Bay Area. Irish Literary and Historical Society. ISBN 9780931180002.
- ^ "Schmitz Wing Victorious". The San Francisco Call. San Francisco. 12 August 1903. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Michael Casey". New York Times. May 3, 1937.