Honoring the Career of Herman Wooden.

WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Mr. Herman Wooden on the occasion of his retirement from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and for thirty-five years of civic and community service to the City of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden, a native Philadelphian began his long career in the United Food and Commercial Union when, as a liquor store clerk in 1966, he became involved in the early struggles to win bargaining rights for public employees. He was instrumental in organizing the Wine and Spirit Shoppes in 1970 and achieving the first contract in 1971; and

WHEREAS, Since 1966, he has progressed through the ranks from Shop Steward to Business Representative to Local 1776 Secretary-Treasurer, lobbying successfully to save the jobs of the liquor store clerks. Mr. Wooden now serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 1776, and assists the President in overseeing all the operations of the Local Union; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden serves as a delegate for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Vice President of the UFCW’s Minority Coalition, a past member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Vice President of the Pennsylvania AFL/CIO, Vice President and Chairman of the Trustees of the Philadelphia AFL/CIO, member of the Public Employees Committee of state and local AFL/CIO; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden’s expertise in worker benefits lead to his position as a Trustee on the UFCW Local 1776 and Participating Employers Health and Welfare Fund and membership in the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his many union responsibilities, Mr. Wooden was elected as a delegate to each of the Democratic National Conventions since 1992. He has worked in the campaigns of such successful elected officials as former Congressmen William Gray, Tom Foglietta, and Robert Borski, the late Congressman Lucien Blackwell the late State Senator Roxanne Jones, State Senators Christine Tartaglione, Vincent Hughes and Vincent Fumo, State Representative Dwight Evans, past Mayor Wilson Goode and Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco. He was also involved in the campaigns of Governor Robert Casey, U.S. Senator Harris Wolford as well as U.S. President William J. Clinton election and re-election; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden’s considerable talents lead to his appointment to the now defunct State Milrite Council, his election to Chairman of the Board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority where he served until June of 2001 and a board member of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) in 1998. He is also a Corporate Member of Highmark, Inc. (Pennsylvania Blue Shield and Western Pennsylvania Blue Cross); and

WHEREAS, Our City is no doubt greatly and knowingly privileged to hold within its borders the bright and enduring light of this vibrant leader, groundbreaker, public servant and devotee to the labor movement and empowerment for all of Philadelphia’s people; and

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and congratulate Mr. Herman Wooden on his retirement and for over thirty-five years of civic and community service.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Herman Wooden as the evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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