William Beresh

William E. (Bill) Beresh, who was an International organizer for nine years and helped organize many shops during his 44-year union career, retired effective Dec. 31, 2004.

Beresh began his career in 1960 at an Amalgamated Lithographers of America shop and worked as a sheetfed offset pressman and worked in a variety of shops.

He served Baltimore 18L (now Local 582M) as shop steward, recording secretary, executive board member. He was president from 1989 to 1995, when he was appointed an International organizer.

Beresh served on the Allied Trades Council of Baltimore, Md., during his local career and served on the Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO Council from 1994 to 1995. He was involved in organizing efforts and assisted in organizing drives for the duration of his Local 18L career.

"Organizing," Beresh reflected to the Graphic Communicator, "is a tough job" because of the bullying tactics of many employers. He helped workers organize whose employers used "fear, intimidation, and all kinds of 'carrot-dangling' " to figuratively slap employees into line.

He observed that organizers can "inoculate" employees about what tactics they can expect their employers to use to try to scare them into voting to reject union representation.

If a first attempt at organizing a shop is not successful, he said, "at least you've planted a seed" for workers to think about. Sometimes, Beresh said, an employer improves pay and working conditions to try to keep the shop non-union.

Beresh said his goal as a local officer and organizer "was to help as many people as I could. I enjoyed what I did"–although his jobs required him to travel a great deal and miss weekends with his family.

"It's been a heck of a ride–from the ALA to the GCC/IBT. It was fun–a good job," he said.

Beresh observed that there are a "lot of younger people coming up, and I'm sure things are going to work out well with our new partnership with the Teamsters."

He and his wife Claudia have a daughter who is a school teacher, a son who is a Teamsters United Parcel Service driver, and three grandchildren. Beresh said he and his wife were planning a couple of extensive driving trips.

General Board members adopted a resolution of commendation at their March meeting for Beresh's "proven . . . strong commitment to organizing working men and women in the printing and paper products industry."

Board members saluted Beresh "for his love of union and dedicating his skills to improving the lives of working men and women and helping to build the union."

The resolution concluded by officers and board members wishing Beresh and his wife Claudia "the long, healthful, and enjoyable retirement that they deserve."