Introducing Samuel Staten, Sr.
We have lost our founder, "The Boss", but the Board of Directors' work will continue on in his memory and in his name!
The late Samuel Staten, Sr. is the former Business Manager of Laborers’ Local #332 and the former Secretary-Treasurer of the Laborers’ District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia & Vicinity. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida and came to Philadelphia as a youth. He was educated in the Philadelphia School system.
Samuel Staten, Sr. had been in the labor industry for over 50 years and had held various leadership roles in labor since 1970. Prior to that, Mr. Staten came up through the ranks working 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. In March 2010, Sam officially retired from Laborers’ Local #332 and the Laborers’ District Council. Sam’s leadership was essential to the continued success of Laborers’ Local 332.
"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, Sr. at the 2010 charitable
Tribute dinner held in honor of his retirement, which raised over $200,000. "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."
— Samuel Staten, Sr., Trustee
1935 - 2016,
Vision, Leadership, Humanitarianism
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 L.D.C. Legal Fund, President of the Philadelphia Building Trades, Board Member of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, chair of the PCCA Expansion Committee, and Board Member of the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Appeals Board.
Mr. Staten’s charitable nature was first evident on October 3, 1987 at the Friends of Labor Committee dinner being held in his honor. At the dinner, Mr. Staten was presented with $25,000 by his members. Mr. Staten stated that he felt uncomfortable accepting the money. He, therefore, awarded the $25,000 to four charitable organizations. Mr. Staten's unselfish nature inspired The Laborers’ District Council Charity Fund, now called the Samuel Staten, Sr. Charitable Trust. Staten, Sr. is credited with raising 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 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.
A genuine family man, Sam was the proud father of (9) children.
The Samuel Staten, Sr. Charitable Trust has raised $2,860,000
for local charities since its inception in 1999,proving that Organized Labor is Making a Difference in our Community!