AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus William “Bill” Lucy addresses a CSEA Annual Delegates Meeting, circa 2008.
CSEA is mourning the loss of William “Bill” Lucy, AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus and legendary labor and civil rights leader. Bill passed away at home. He was 90.
Bill was one of the most influential leaders in the history of the labor movement. In addition to his leadership in our international union, Bill was a legendary civil rights leader. He marched alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to fight for justice, including on behalf of striking AFSCME-represented sanitation workers, and fought tirelessly to end apartheid in South Africa. He co-founded the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), an AFL-CIO constituency group that is an independent voice of Black workers within the trade union movement, challenging organized labor to be more relevant to the needs and aspirations of Black and poor workers.
As AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer, Bill helped our international union grow in membership and stay strong, serving in his post for nearly 40 years. Bill frequently appeared at CSEA Annual Delegates Meetings and other events, mentoring and inspiring many past and present CSEA leaders.
From left, CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan and AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus William “Bill” Lucy pose in this undated file photo.
“Bill was a strong and powerful advocate who advanced the causes of labor and civil rights through everything he did,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “He was a true friend to labor and to CSEA and although he will be greatly missed, his legacy will live on through all who knew and loved him.”
Trailblazing labor leader
Born in Memphis, Tenn. and raised in Richmond, Calif., Bill studied civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
Bill’s activism with ASFCME began in 1956 while working for Contra Costa County, Calif. as an assistant materials research engineer, standing with his co-workers to transform their employee organization into a union with AFSCME. He was elected as president of AFSCME Local 1675 in 1965. A year later, Bill began working full time as AFSCME’s associate director of legislation and community affairs. He would later become executive assistant to then AFSCME International President Jerry Wurf.
In May 1972, Bill was elected to serve as the first Black Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME, one of the highest-ranking Black union leaders in organized labor at the time. He would serve in that post until he retired in 2010.
In 1994, Bill was the first Black person to be elected president of Public Services International, the world’s largest union federation. In that post, he oversaw 10 million members from over 100 nations. Bill also served on the AFL-CIO’s executive council, as well as vice president of several of the federation’s entities. He also served in leadership roles in numerous other labor and civil rights organizations.
Civil rights leader
Bill’s legacy in civil rights is also monumental. As part of his work with AFSCME, Bill traveled to Memphis, Tenn. in 1968 to fight alongside AFSCME-represented striking city sanitation workers. At this time, Lucy had coined the iconic phrase “I Am a Man,” which became the workers’ united voice.
He worked closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in supporting the striking workers. King delivered his iconic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” address to the workers the evening before King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
After King’s assassination, Bill continued supporting the strike in Memphis, helping motivate the workers to continue with the strike that ultimately led to the successful agreement of the city to recognize the union and its demands.
After co-founding CBTU in 1972, Bill became the group’s longtime president until he stepped down in 2012. Bill oversaw CBTU’s expansion to more than 50 chapters.
CSEA has long been deeply involved in CBTU. The Rev. Terrence Melvin, a CSEA member and New York State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer, succeeded Bill as CBTU President. CSEA leaders across the state serve as chapter leaders and representatives.
Bill was deeply involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, including co-founding the Free South Africa Movement that helped end apartheid and secure the release of South African leader Nelson Mandela.
He is survived by two children, Benita and Phyllis.
— Claire Peretta and Janice Gavin
In this 1978 file photo, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus William “Bill” Lucy, AFSCME International President Jerry Wurf, CSEA President William McGowan and CSEA Executive Vice President Thomas McDonough announce CSEA’s affiliation with AFSCME.
