Max Greenberg (August 6, 1907 – December 12, 1992) was an American labor union leader. Born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, Greenberg attended Pace College, but left without graduating due to financial difficulties. He became a retail clerk, and joined a local union representing men involved in selling furnishings. In 1936, he organized a

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

local of the

Retail Clerks' International Protective Association The Retail Clerks International Union (RCIU) was a North American labor union that represented retail employees. History The RCIU was chartered as the Retail Clerks National Protective Union in 1890 by the American Federation of Labor. It later ...

, and became its president. However, he was enthused by the formation of the

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1937, the RWDSU represents about 60,000 workers in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to retail, grocery stores, p ...

(RWDSU) the following year, and led the union local into that new international union. Greenberg served on the regional War Labor Board during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1946, he was elected as vice-president of the RWDSU, and from 1949, he also served on the New Jersey Board of Mediation. In 1954, he won election as president of the union, and he was also appointed to the general board of the

Congress of Industrial Organizations The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a federation of Labor unions in the United States, unions that organized workers in industrial unionism, industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. Originally created in ...

(CIO). The CIO merged into the AFL-CIO, with Greenberg joining its executive council, and in 1967, Greenberg was also appointed as one of its vice-presidents. He retired in 1975, moving to

Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( ; ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 97,422 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and it ranked as the 23rd-largest city in Florida in 2022. Many people with a Boca Raton Address, ...

two years later.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greenberg, Max 1907 births 1992 deaths American trade union leaders Activists from New York City Trade unionists from New York (state) Vice presidents of the AFL-CIO Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union people Pace University alumni