Harry Van Arsdale II (November 23, 1905 – February 16, 1986) was the head of the New York City Central Labor Council.
He was born in Hell's Kitchen, in Manhattan to Harry Van Arsdale I, an electrician and member of Local 3, who was unemployed at the time because of a lockout that lasted from 1904 to 1907. He attended Townsend Harris High School, an experimental school for gifted pupils, but dropped out at 16 in 1921 to go to work. After various j...
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Harry Van Arsdale II (November 23, 1905 – February 16, 1986) was the head of the New York City Central Labor Council.
He was born in Hell's Kitchen, in Manhattan to Harry Van Arsdale I, an electrician and member of Local 3, who was unemployed at the time because of a lockout that lasted from 1904 to 1907. He attended Townsend Harris High School, an experimental school for gifted pupils, but dropped out at 16 in 1921 to go to work. After various jobs, he joined his father in the electrical trade and became a member of Local 3 in 1924.
He married Mary Casey; and together they had two sons, Harry Van Arsdale III; and Thomas Van Arsdale; two daughters, Margaret Van Arsdale and Kathryn Van Arsdale Erikson. At the time of his death, he was married to the former Madeline Reilly.
In 1933 he rose to the leadership of Local Union number 3 of the IBEW, a labor union for electrical workers. He eventually served as a leader of the Building Trades Council in New York City, and was the first...
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