Max Zaritsky

Max Zaritsky (April 15, 1885 – May 10, 1959) was Belarusian-born Jewish-American labor leader who founded and led the United Hatters, Cap and Millinery Workers International Union (UHCMW), in addition to co-founding both the American Labor Party and Liberal Party of New York.

Background

Max Zaritsky was born on April 15, 1885 in Petrikov, in the Russian Empire. His father was a rabbi. In 1906, he immigrated to the United States at age 21. group within the American Federation of Labor (AFL) called the Committee for Industrial Organizations. He formed it with Zaritsky of UHCMW, Sidney Hillman, head of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America; David Dubinsky, President of the ILGWU, Thomas McMahon, head of the United Textile Workers; John Sheridan of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union; and Harvey Fremming of the Oil Workers Union. They announced the committee's creation on November 9, 1935, and in 1938, after the AFL revoked the charters of these members, they formed the Congress for Industrial Organizations (CIO).

Zaritsky opposed the CIO's break from the AFL and, with David Dubinsky, initiated a "peace move" between the nascent CIO and its AFL parent.

Political leadership

American Labor Party

In 1936, Zaritsky had joined Sidney Hillman and John L. Lewis in forming the Labor Non-Partisan League (LNPL), which formed the basis of the American Labor Party (ALP), making Zaritsky an ALP co-founder. ).

Max Zaritsky died age 74 on May 10, 1959, in Boston, Massachusetts, after leaving New York City two years earlier.

Legacy

At his death in 1959, The New York Times declared, "Although his union had only 40,000 members, Mr. Zaritsky won a position of major influence in labor's affairs." His papers are at the Tamiment Library at New York University.