Honoring Wendell W. Young, III, President Emeritus, Local 1776.

WHEREAS, Wendell W. Young, III was elected President of Retail Clerks Local 1357 in 1962 and has been at the helm of now-Local 1776 ever since; and

WHEREAS, For over 40 years, his untiring work on behalf of members and working families has been an inspiration to labor leaders worldwide; and

WHEREAS, Under his leadership, Local 1776 developed award-winning benefit programs and forged community alliances that have won the respect of the entire labor movement; and

WHEREAS, Time after time he has saved the jobs of thousands of members, helping to create SuperFresh Markets out of the ashes of A & P and crafting the deal to save Acme Markets and with it the jobs of members and the access of Philadelphians to affordable groceries; and

WHEREAS, He serves as a Vice President of the International UFCW Union and Vice President of the Pennsylvania State Council AFL-CIO; and

WHEREAS, He has been a devoted alumnus of North Catholic High School and St. Joseph’s University and has raised funds for these institutions and for Catholic Charities, Variety Club, Israel Bonds, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and numerous other charitable organizations; and

WHEREAS, He is the President Emeritus of Local 1776 and continues to be involved in contract negotiations, national and international and union business and politics on the local, state and federal levels and hosts “Talking Union” every Saturday on WHAT 1340-AM; and

WHEREAS, His tremendous leadership and energy are an inspiration to his members and a credit to the City of Philadelphia, where he was born and raised; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia honors Wendell W. Young, III, on the occasion of his “Not Quite Retired Party” on October 2, 2005, for his many contributions to the membership of UFCW 1776, to the working families of the City of Philadelphia, and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Wendell W. Young, III, as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End