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Jose
Lopez dedicated his life to lending a helping hand
to all that were in need. He was born and educated
in Puerto Rico and came to New York shortly after
graduating from high school in 1949. His career in
the labor movement began while employed in the Keg-O-Products
Corporation, an employer of Lamp and Shade Division
members of Local #3 IBEW. In 1950 he enlisted in the
United States Army and served as a platoon Sergeant
in Korea, receiving the Purple Heart. Upon discharge,
he returned to the electrical industry and became
a shop steward in the BAL Division of Local #3. He
served on the Negotiating, Advisory, and Pension Committees.
Jose helped establish the Santiago Iglesias Educational
Society of Local #3 under the guidance of then Business
Manager, Harry Van Arsdale Jr., and served as its.
President for many years. In 1967, he assisted the
founding of the Santiago Iglesias Credit Union and
served as its. President for four years and as Treasurer
for two years. Active in the Hispanic community all
his life, he was appointed in 1966 by Governor Rockefeller
to the State Board of Social Welfare. In addition,
he also served as Board Member of the Puerto Rican
Association for Community Affairs, the Hispanic Labor
Committee, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement,
the Puerto Rican Folklore Fiesta, and as an organizer
of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. In
1967, President George Meany, AFL-CIO, appointed him
Field Representative of Region # 7, which encompassed
New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico. From 1968 through
1970, he was appointed to assist the United Farm Workers
during their boycott of grapes and helped organize
consumer and union-member support through leafleting,
speeches and fund raising, which provided farm workers
in California their first union contract in 1970.
Jose Lopez was a graduate of the Harry Van Arsdale
Jr. School of Labor Studies, earning a degree in Labor
Studies. Jose was a loyal, dedicated union activist
who was always held in high esteem by his colleagues
in trade union movement.
