David Sullivan

David Sullivan (May 7, 1904 – January 23, 1976) was an American labor leader and president of the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU), the precursor to the Service Employees International Union, from 1960 to 1971. Early life Sullivan was born in Cork, Ireland, on May 7, 1904, to Stephen and Margaret (Fouhy) O'Sullivan. He attended public school, but abandoned his education during high school. His brother Michael was a member of the Cork First Battalion of the IRA and was shot dead along with five other IRA Volunteers by British Crown Forces during the Irish War of Independence on 23 March 1921. David O'Sullivan and his brother Thomas emigrated to the United States in 1925, settling in New York City. Sullivan became a naturalized citizen in 1932. In 1930, Sullivan married the former Kathleen Connaire. The couple had five children. Rise within Local 32B Shortly after arriving in New York City, Sullivan took a job as an elevator operator. On April 19, 1934, BSEIU Local 32B was founded under the leadership of James Bambrick, who would become its first president. Sullivan became a charter member of the new union, and participated in strikes in 1934 and 1935. Sullivan allied himself with George Scalise, president of a small BSEIU local of window washers and the international union's representative for the East Coast. When BSEIU president Jerry Horan died in April 1937, Scalise was elected BSEIU president with the assistance of the Chicago mob and Luciano crime family mobster Anthony Carfano. Scalise used his office to gain control over Local 32B and in 1938 engineered Sullivan's election as secretary-treasurer. Sullivan and another officer stuffed the ballot box to ensure victory. In 1940, Scalise was convicted of bribery, embezzlement and labor racketeering, and imprisoned. Local 1 president William McFetridge was elected BSEIU president. Despite Sullivan's close relationship with Scalise, President McFetridge voiced total confidence in Sullivan's honesty.