Samuel Staten, Sr., Raised The Dignity And Elevated Laborers Into A Major Trade

SAMUEL STATEN, SR.

Samuel Staten, Sr., the man who gave dignity and family-sustaining wages to the common laborer, died Tuesday at his home here in Philadelphia, leaving behind a family continued his legacy of supporting and electing candidates who understood his message of lifting up the average man and his family. A viewing be held at the Unions Hall, 1310 Wallace, starting at 6 p.m. today, followed by a janazah at Clara Muhammad School, 47th & Wyalusing Friday morning.

The family which made Staten, Sr. the labor visionary he was began with his father Shedrick Staten, who was a founding member of the Laborers’ Union in the Philadelphia region. When the Laborers’ Union was founded in the Philadelphia area in 1929, it was the least-prestigious of the building trades and paid the lowest wages. For that reason, it was the only building trade which welcomed African Americans in those years, and it has long been a bastion of African American leadership in the labor movement.

Sam turned out to have an aptitude for labor organizing. He spent an illustrious career in the Philadelphia Laborers, during which it is no exaggeration to say he transformed the trade and its union.

Although the elder Staten retired from his day job in 2008, he remained an intimate with the city’s political, business and nonprofit leaders.

So Sam Staten, Jr. grew up under a long shadow. In the son’s earlier days, though, his dad was still a journeyman laborer who came home dirty every night.

“Ours was a large family, but it was ruled with firmness,” Staten, Jr. recounts. His father was a disciplinarian. “No disrespect was tolerated,” the younger Staten recalls.

Sam Staten, Sr. carried with him to his grave the loss of his son Qa’id. The 17-year-old was an outstanding senior at Sister Clara Muhammad School in West Philadelphia. Just weeks from graduation and looking forward to attending Howard University when he was shot down in a robbery attempt outside a pizza shop on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near 22nd Street.

Samuel Staten, Sr. is remembered as the kind and caring former Business Manager of Laborers’ Local 332 and the former Secretary-Treasurer of the Laborers’ District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia & Vicinity. Born in Jacksonville, Fla., he came to Philadelphia as a youth and was educated in the Philadelphia school system.

Building was his love for well over 60 years, and he served it well as he moved up through a variety of leadership roles. He worked for 10 years as a construction laborer before becoming a Local 332 Field Representative in 1970. In 1973 he was appointed Assistant Business Manager and in August 1978 he was elected the Business Manager, and held that position until May 2008.

Early in his career as a leader he saw a farm in Exton, Pa., which he thought would make an ideal school for Laborers. That school has since grown into a host of venues, teaching Laborers how to become trained and valuable members of all the building-trade vocations.

In March 2010, Sam officially retired from Laborers’ Local 332 and the Laborers’ District Council. Yet Sam’s leadership remained essential to the continued success of Laborers’ Local 332 through to his death.

At the 2010 Charitable Tribute Dinner held in honor of his retirement which raised over $200,000, he told the attendees, all of whom held major positions in labor, politics and education, “I can remember the old-timers talking about how things had changed and I couldn’t imagine what they were saying.

“Now, today, I look back and think about the roads over which I’ve traveled and it’s amazing,” said Staten. “I can remember my first pay rate was $2.60 per hour. We had no health and welfare; we had no pension, dental or legal plan. It was a different world for Laborers. We have come a long way and now have the power to truly help those in need.”

When the publisher of the Philadelphia Public Record went to Staten seeking support for his fledgling labor and political weekly, Sam gave him a helping hand up and that union still maintains the commitment he made. This is just one of the many charitable efforts to which Sam committed his union.

Sam’s leadership did not stop with Laborers’ Local 332. He was also a Trustee of the Laborers’ District Council Building & Construction Health & Welfare Fund, Delegate to the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council, Board Member of the Philadelphia Housing Authority, Member of the African American Chamber of Commerce, Trustee of the Laborers’ District Council Building & Construction Pension Fund, Trustee of the Laborers’ District Council Education & Training Fund, Trustee of LECET and the LDC Health & Safety Fund, Trustee of the LDC Legal Fund, President of the Philadelphia Building Trades, Board Member of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority and Chair of the PCCA Expansion Committee. He remained an active Board Member of the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Appeals Board.

Staten’s charitable nature was first evident on Oct. 3, 1987 at the Friends of Labor Committee dinner being held in his honor. At the dinner, Staten was presented with $25,000 by his members. Staten stated he felt uncomfortable accepting the money. He therefore awarded the $25,000 to four charitable organizations. Staten’s unselfish nature inspired The Laborers’ District Council Charity Fund, now called the Samuel Staten, Sr. Charitable Trust through which Staten, Sr. raised millions of dollars for charity.

Realizing that charity begins at home, Sam and his members provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to Local 332 members’ children. He also created the Emergency Relief Fund, which aids members with catastrophic problems.

Through his union leadership, he has pushed his members to get out and get involved with countless organizations, and the political occurrences in the city. Because of his keen awareness of the power of Labor, Local 332 has become a calling stop of almost every successful political candidate. It has been responsible for electing Mayors, Congress Members, State Senators and Representatives and many of its City Council Members.

He was a genuine family man, and extremely proud of his nine children. His legacy is huge, carried on by Samuel Staten, Jr. and his siblings. He will be missed!

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