William Green (labor leader)

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William Green (March 3, 1873 - November 21, 1952) was president of the American Federation of Labor from 1924 to 1952.

The son of Welsh immigrant coal miners from Coshocton, Ohio, he was elected secretary of the United Mine Workers of America in 1891. In 1910, he was elected to the Ohio Senate, where he served as both Senate president pro tempore and Democratic floor leader. He was named to the AFL Executive Council in 1914, and became Secretary-Treasurer in 1916. In 1924 he became president of the AFL following the death of Samuel Gompers, a position he held until his death. He is best remembered for having presided over the split in the AFL which led to the founding of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

He was regarded, both by his contemporaries and historically, as a very mild mannered leader who deferred on nearly all matters to aides such as Matthew Woll and his more distinguished successor George Meany.