James Housewright

James Talbertt Housewright (November 23, 1921 – September 19, 1977) was an American labor union leader.

Born in Wesco, Missouri,

Housewright also became a vice-president of the AFL-CIO. In this role, he led the formation of a new Food and Beverage Trades Department, to improve working relationships between the various unions in the industry. He became the first president of the new department, and in that role, began negotiating a merger between his union, the Retail Clerks International Union, and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America. However, he died in 1977, before any merger could be agreed.