Vincent Sombrotto

Sombrotto became an official member of the National Association of Letter Carriers in 1947 and played a huge part in the U.S. postal strike of 1970.

After his service, he worked as a truck driver before taking a part-time job sorting mail at the Grand Central Station post office.

[2] In March 1970, members of NALC Branch 36 met in Manhattan and voted to call a wildcat strike, as postal employees were by law not permitted to collectively bargain.

[3] The strike was called in response to low wages, poor working conditions, and an act of Congress to increase the salaries of postal workers by 4% and their own pay by 41%.

[5][6] President Richard Nixon appeared on national television to order the employees back to work, but this only stiffened the will of the workers and led others to join the strike.

[2][17] In 1993, he played a key role in helping to reform the Hatch Act, which forbade the partisan political activities of federal employees.

[19][20] The Walter P. Reuther Library in Detroit, Michigan houses the NALC Office of the President: Vincent Sombrotto Records.

This collection illustrates his time in office such as administrative functions, political involvement, organizational affiliations, and relationships with union members.