WNY Labor Today
Buffalo, NY
(BUFFALO) – UAW Region 9 CAP (Community Action Program) Director & Western New York Working Families Party (WFP) President Sam Williams has been nominated by Governor David Paterson to fill an open seat and a seven-year term on the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, WNYLaborToday.com has learned. It’s expected he will be officially confirmed on Monday during a process that will take place in Albany.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity, but I’m both happy and sad,” Williams told a number of representatives of Organized Labor from across Western New York who attended today’s Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation’s Annual Legislative Meeting that was held at UAW Region 9′s headquarters in suburban Williamsville.
“I owe everything in my life to Organized Labor and this was not an easy decision,” the 58-year-old Williams told WNYLaborToday.com. “I’ve been blessed that I have loved everything I do. But this is a non-partisan position and I have to resign my positions with the UAW and Working Families Party so there is no influence. I’m hoping to do some good (on the State Workers’ Compensation Board). There has not been a ‘voice’ for normal working people whom I consider as ‘Working Jeans and Joes’ (on the board).”
Williams told WNYLaborToday.com he feels he does his best work while “in total chaos” and believes having an individual “who has worked in a factory” will benefit the overall makeup of the State Workers’ Compensation Board.
There are currently three open seats on the State Workers’ Compensation Board. The process now involves hearing by the state Senate’s Labor Committee, before Williams’ nomination goes to the State Senate Finance Committee and then to a vote in the full Senate, he said.
The mission of the State Workers’ Compensation Board is to equitably and fairly administer the provisions of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law, including Workers’ Compensation benefits, Disability benefits, Volunteer Firefighters’ benefits, Volunteer Ambulance Workers’ benefits, and Volunteer Civil Defense Workers’ benefits law on behalf of New York’s injured workers and their employers. Nearly 7.9 million workers are covered by laws that area administered by the Board, according to information posted on its website.
The State Workers’ Compensation Board is composed of 13 commissioners, who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate for terms of seven years. The Board maintains 11 district offices across New York, including Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.
Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Williams graduated from a local high school in 1970 and started his Union Career as a Sheet Metal apprentice. He served as a journeyman for Sheet Metal Workers Local 71 until 1976 when he was hired at the former Harrison Radiator division of General Motors (GM) Corp. and became a member of the UAW Local 686.
Beginning in 1982, Sam rose through the Union Ranks as alternate, district, and shop committeeman. He served as UAW Local 686 Shop Chairman for 5 years. During this time Sam was elected as an alternate, then top negotiator for Skilled Trades Sub?Council 7 at the UAW-GM National Bargaining Table. During negotiations, Williams co-chaired both the Health and Safety and Skilled Trades sub-committees.
In 1996, Sam took part in the development of the Transitional Work Center concept within GM, which allowed and encouraged UAW members collecting Worker’s Compensation to return to work early. The program allowed injured workers to return to work in non-traditional jobs until they were able to return to their normal work duty. This program is still in place today, greatly reducing the Worker’s Compensation costs throughout the industry.
In February 1998, Sam was appointed to the International Staff of the UAW Region 9 as a Servicing Representative. In this capacity he negotiated collective bargaining agreements, handled arbitration issues and PERB (Public Employee Relations Board) hearings for numerous UAW Locals throughout the Western New York area.
In late 1998, Williams was appointed Director of Education for UAW Region 9, encompassing New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He trained UAW local Union Officers in all aspects of collective bargaining, grievance handling, fiscal and legal requirements, meeting facilitation, and the roles and responsibilities of a Union Executive Board Member. In August of 2004, Williams was appointed UAW Region 9′s CAP Director.
Williams – who has served on numerous United Way Boards in Niagara County, and as president of the Niagara Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council for seven years – has been a board member and State Co?Chair of the Working Families Party, as well as Chairperson of the Western New York Chapter. Sam also serves on the executive boards of Citizen Action of New York, the New York State Labor?Religion Coalition and the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation.
Throughout the years, Williams has received many awards and honors for his tireless dedication to causes that he believes in. In 1994, Williams was honored with the UAW Citizenship Award and in 1999 as Labor Citizen of the Year from the Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. In 2009 he received the Norm Harper Labor Award from the Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ), and the Buffalo Central Labor Council Labor Person of the Year award for his commitment to Organized Labor and community partnership through legislative and electoral solutions. And in January 2010, he received the Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award.
