Victor Gotbaum
Encyclopedia
Victor H. Gotbaum was an American
labor
leader. From 1965 to 1987, he was president of AFSCME
District Council 37
(DC37), the largest municipal union in New York City
.
, attended Brooklyn College
and the School of International and Public Affairs
at Columbia University
, and took his first union job as assistant director of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters
in Chicago
, in 1955.
Under Gotbaum's leadership, DC37 successfully organized thousands of municipal hospital workers in the 1960s and helped create New York City's Office of Collective Bargaining. During the New York City bankruptcy crisis
in the mid-1970s, Gotbaum and DC37 agreed to major collective bargaining
concessions, which set a pattern that forced other municipal unions to do the same. The action helped the city avoid default on its bonds.
Gotbaum was succeeded by Stanley Hill
, who was removed in 1998 in the midst of a major scandal, some of which may have had its roots under Gotbaum. After a trusteeship by AFSCME, Hill was ultimately succeeded in 2002 by Lillian Roberts
, who first started working with Gotbaum in 1959.
Gotbaum divorced his first wife Dr. Sarah C. Gotbaum in the early 1970s and married Betsy Gotbaum
in 1977. From 2002 to 2009, Betsy Gotbaum was the New York City Public Advocate.
Gotbaum's daughter-in-law Carol Anne Gotbaum was found dead on September 28, 2007 at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Police reported that Gotbaum was yelling and screaming: "I am not a terrorist!" and running through the terminal on Friday. She was arrested for disorderly conduct. Initial reports indicate that Gotbaum may have accidentally strangled herself while trying to get out of her handcuffs. Carol Gotbaum was married to Noah Gotbaum, one son of Sarah and Victor Gotbaum.
Joshua Gotbaum, another son of Sarah and Victor, worked in the Carter, Clinton and Obama administrations and was a recess appointment
as director of Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labor
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. From 1965 to 1987, he was president of AFSCME
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is the second- or third-largest labor union in the United States and one of the fastest-growing, representing over 1.4 million employees, primarily in local and state government and in the health care industry. AFSCME is part of the...
District Council 37
District Council 37
District Council 37 was chartered in 1944 by AFSCME to represent public employees in New York City. It was small and relatively unsuccessful under its first president, Henry Feinstein...
(DC37), the largest municipal union in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Biography
Gotbaum was born in Brooklyn, New York. He married his first wife, Sarah, in August 1943. He fought in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, attended Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
and the School of International and Public Affairs
School of International and Public Affairs
The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University is one of the most prestigious graduate schools of public policy in the world. Located on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus in the Borough of Manhattan, in New York City, the School has 15,000 graduates in more than 150...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and took his first union job as assistant director of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters
Amalgamated Meat Cutters
The Amalgamated Meat Cutters , officially the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, was a labor union that represented retail butchers and packinghouse workers.-History:...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in 1955.
Under Gotbaum's leadership, DC37 successfully organized thousands of municipal hospital workers in the 1960s and helped create New York City's Office of Collective Bargaining. During the New York City bankruptcy crisis
History of New York City (1946-1977)
The history of New York City saw the emergence of New York immediately after World War II as the unquestioned leader among major cities of the world...
in the mid-1970s, Gotbaum and DC37 agreed to major collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
concessions, which set a pattern that forced other municipal unions to do the same. The action helped the city avoid default on its bonds.
Gotbaum was succeeded by Stanley Hill
Stanley Hill
Stanley Hill was an Australian cricketer who played for South Australia and New South Wales...
, who was removed in 1998 in the midst of a major scandal, some of which may have had its roots under Gotbaum. After a trusteeship by AFSCME, Hill was ultimately succeeded in 2002 by Lillian Roberts
Lillian Roberts
Lillian Roberts is currently the Executive Director of DC37, the largest municipal union in New York City. She was first elected to this position in 2002....
, who first started working with Gotbaum in 1959.
Gotbaum divorced his first wife Dr. Sarah C. Gotbaum in the early 1970s and married Betsy Gotbaum
Betsy Gotbaum
Betsy Gotbaum was the New York City Public Advocate. She was elected as Public Advocate for New York City in 2001, and reelected in 2005. A longtime civic leader, she is the third woman elected to a citywide post in NYC history. Because she ran unopposed in the 2001 and 2005 elections, Betsy...
in 1977. From 2002 to 2009, Betsy Gotbaum was the New York City Public Advocate.
Gotbaum's daughter-in-law Carol Anne Gotbaum was found dead on September 28, 2007 at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Police reported that Gotbaum was yelling and screaming: "I am not a terrorist!" and running through the terminal on Friday. She was arrested for disorderly conduct. Initial reports indicate that Gotbaum may have accidentally strangled herself while trying to get out of her handcuffs. Carol Gotbaum was married to Noah Gotbaum, one son of Sarah and Victor Gotbaum.
Joshua Gotbaum, another son of Sarah and Victor, worked in the Carter, Clinton and Obama administrations and was a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
as director of Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in 2010.