On my way to review the photo exhibit by Chester Higgins Jr. at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery, I passed a huge, inflated rat symbolizing a strike by the District Council of Carpenters against Vanderbilt University on W. 21st Street. Moments later, I received a text that noted labor leader George Gresham was dead.
I paused for a moment, considered the irony, and reflected on George’s unwavering commitment to workers’ causes. The erosion of area standards was often something he discussed in his many columns in the Amsterdam News. I have no reservations that the fight waged by the carpenters would be right in his bailiwick.
Several months ago, I learned that he was ill, and I hadn’t seen his column in quite a while; even so, I was stunned to learn of his passing. I met him on several occasions, most before he began contributing to these pages.
The first time we crossed paths was when I was teaching a College of New Rochelle course at 125 Barclay, where the office of District Council 37 is located. He was there for a meeting, and we warmly exchanged greetings and promised to stay in touch, which we did, mainly through phone calls and texts about union affairs.
Once during a Local 1199 SEIU demonstration, we walked together. His gregariousness was infectious, and he kept up a steady pace as he fielded my questions. Now, many years later, as I left the exhibit and headed back to the subway station, the workers at Vanderbilt — yep, that university based in Tennessee, which is set to open a branch here this fall — had increased considerably, just the kind of assembly that would have made George a proud participant.
In a statement from April Verrett, President of SEIU, she said, “Our hearts go out to George’s family, his loved ones, and the entire 1199SEIU membership. We honor him today not just with our words, but by recommitting ourselves to the work he loved so dearly.”
My sentiments entirely.
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