Chicago, Ill.
Vice President James La Sala has devoted more than 50 years to the trade union movement and to his union, the Amalgamated Transit Union. He began his career in the transit industry as a bus operator for the Public Service Coordinated Transport of New Jersey where he joined ATU Local 824 and was elected shop steward a year later. He rose from that position to leadership positions in the local, serving as vice president, secretary-treasurer and president/business agent.
Following his leadership of Local 824, Vice President La Sala was appointed by the international to the position of international representative, followed by appointment to the position of international vice president, a post he held until his election as executive vice president. He was elected international president in 1985 and, with his retirement in July 2003, ranks as the second longest serving president in the ATU’s 110-year history.
Vice President La Sala’s accomplishments in launching labor-management partnership programs in the transportation industry, enlarging education programs for the union’s officers and members and addressing important safety and health issues for transit workers and passengers have been of great benefit to his members and the trade union movement. He contributed to the entire labor movement as an early and forceful advocate for the creation of the Transportation Trades Department, and he served that department with distinction.
James La Sala was elected an AFL-CIO vice president in 1995 and contributed to the Executive Council as vice chair of the Committee on Member Education and Training and as a member of the committees on labor and the environment, legislation, appeals and Article XX appeals.
On behalf of the men and women of the unions of the AFL-CIO, the Executive Council expresses its gratitude and appreciation to James La Sala for his service and devotion to the members of his union and to the labor movement.