James O'Connell (August 22, 1858 – October 30, 1936) was an American labor union leader.
[1][2] In 1893, O'Connell was elected as Grand Master Machinist, leader of the union, continuing in the post after it was renamed "president" in 1899.
In his early years with the union, its headquarters moved periodically, and he relocated first to Chicago, and then in 1900 to Washington DC.
[1][2] From 1908, O'Connell was the president of the Metal Trades Department of the AFL, and in 1911, this became his full-time role.
Two years later, he gave a speech calling for a bar on private profits in the manufacture of armaments.