Download

Harry H. Cook
Technical Resources

 

Technical Resources
 
 
 

Technical Resources
 
   
  Technical Resources
 

HARRY H. COOK was born in Wheeling, W. Va., and in 1886, with his parents, moved to Bellaire, Ohio. Before he had reached the age of ten years, circumstances over which he had no control, made it necessary for him to seek employment. In January, 189:3, he started to work at the old Hobbs-Brockuner Glass Works, Wheeling, W. Va., as a carrying-over boy. In the fall of 189;3 he went to work at the old Crystal Glass Works, Bridgeport, Ohio, and after advancing through the various stages of employment, he began his apprenticeship as a pressware gatherer and remained in the employ of that company until 1908. In 1901 he was admitted to membership in the American Flint Glass Workers' Union through Local Union No. 99, then located at Bridgeport, Ohio.

When the Imperial Glass Company erected and started operation of its factory at Bellaire, Ohio, February 3, 1903, Mr. Cook left the employ of the Crystal Glass Company and accepted a position as a press gatherer at the Imperial Glass Works. Later he became a finisher and handler on press and iron mould ware. He remained in the employ of the Imperial Glass Company until July, 1916.

During his 13 years of service with that company he gained the reputation of being a skilled craftsman and a sober, reliable, conscientious workman.

Mr. Cook, being imbued from early childhood with the principles of trade unionism, served not only in minor offices, but also as corresponding secretary and president of Local Union No. 11 for many years. He enjoyed the distinction of never having missed a special or regular meeting of his local union from its institution, until August, 1912, when his election as a member of the Executive Board made it imperative that he attend the annual wage conferences held in Atlantic City, N. J.

In 1912 a vacancy occurred on the executive board and the Press Ware Committee at the Montreal, Canada, convention by acclamation, elected Mr. Cook to fill the vacancy. In the special election that followed, he was elected to membership on the board by a referendum vote of the Pressware Department.

In 1913 he was elected chairman of the board which position he occupied until July, 1916, when his resignation was tendered in order that he might take up his duties as National Assistant Secretary, to which office he was elected at the Tiffin, Ohio, 1916 Convention. The records of 1915 and 1916 show that Mr. Cook enjoys the distinction of having received the largest number of VOTes ever cast in favor of a candidate for membership on the Executive Board in any department of the trade.

Mr. Cook has attended every convention of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union since 1906, with the exception of those held in 1917 and 1909, and at the various conventions he was honored by being selected to serve as Secretary or Chairman of the Pressware Committee and likewise to serve on other important committees.

At the Newark, Ohio, 1913 convention, Mr. Cook was elected to represent the National Union as a delegate to the Seattle, 'Washington, convention of the American Federation of Labor, and in 1921 he was again elected a delegate to the Cincinnati, Ohio convention of the American Federation of Labor. Mr. Cook was honored by the late Samuel Gompers by being appointed one of a committee of three International Union representatives to audit the books of the American Federation of Labor and the accounts of the officers thereof, and as the Auditing Committee likewise serves as the Credential Cpmmittee, he was again honored by being made secretary of both of those important committees, which responsibility he met with credit to himself and to the American Flint Glass Workers' Union.

Mr. Cook's advancement has been somewhat unique for the reason that from the time he entered the glass factory his elevation from one position to another and from one office to another, was made possible by the existence of a vacancy. After sixteen years of faithful and diligent service as National Assistant Secretary, he was elected to the office of National Vice President at the Toledo, Ohio, 1932 Convention and has been re-elected at each succeeding convention. During his National Official career he has constantly been re-elected to office by acclamation, with the exception of once when he encountered opposition at the New Bedford, Mass., Convention in 1917.

Mr. Cook aided in the institution of Local Union No. 13 at Bellaire, Ohio, on December 13, 1903, and during the intervening years, including the present, he has held membership continuously therein.

{2000}