Jim Housewright

" . . . . a presidency that both strengthened and humanized
a very dynamic union."

 Jim Housewright's history with the Retail Clerks Union spanned thirty years, beginning as a grocer in Northern California, and culminating in a presidency that both strengthened and humanized a very dynamic union.

 After graduating from high school, Housewright worked as a grocer, which was the catalyst for his work with the union. He began his career with the RCIU as Secretary Treasurer of Local 725 in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he served until 1953.  He became a representative for the International in 1953, only to be promoted to a Division Director a year later. By 1964, he was appointed International Director of Organization, and a year later became Executive Assistant to the President. In 1968, at the age of 46, Housewright became one of the youngest leaders to head a major labor union.

  During his presidency, Housewright made great contributions to the labor movement with his involvement in the executive council of the AFL-CIO and the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical and Technical Employees.  His work with these organizations, as well as several others, helped the labor movement grow on both a national and international level.

 Housewright's work with the Retail Clerks was not limited to the membership, but extended to the needs of all Americans. His work with such organizations as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Committee for National Health Insurance, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement point to the altruistic spirit he brought to his presidency.

 Jim Housewright served at many different levels of the Retail Clerks International Union, but he considered himself, first and foremost, an organizer. He dedicated his life to serving his members, as well as all Americans, and paved the way for the eventual merger that led to the birth of the UFCW.