Tony Mazzocchi
| Anthony Mazzocchi | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 13, 1926 Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Died | October 5, 2002 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., United States |
| Occupation | Labor leader Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union |
| Spouse(s) | Rose Alfonso (divorced) Susan Lynn Kleinwaks (divorced) Katherine Isaac (unmarried partner) |
| Children | One son, five daughters |
Anthony Mazzocchi (June 13, 1926 – October 5, 2002) was an American labor leader. He was a high elected official of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union (OCAW), serving as vice president from 1977 to 1988, and as secretary-treasurer from 1988 to 1991. He was credited by President Richard Nixon as being the primary force behind enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, was a mentor to Karen Silkwood, a union activist in Oklahoma; and a co-founder of the Labor Party. For his efforts, he was called the "Rachel Carson of the American workplace."
Anthony Mazzocchi was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, on June 13, 1926, to Joseph and Angelina (Lamardo) Mazzocchi. His father was a garment worker and union member. The family was very poor, and Mazzocchi slept in the same bed with two of his siblings. His mother died of cancer when Mazzocchi was six years old, and the family lost their home because of the cost of medical care.
His future politics were shaped at an early age. His two sisters and a closeted gay uncle were all communists. In 1949, Mazzocchi supported Vito Marcantonio in his bid to become Mayor of New York City. Both factors played a major role in influencing Mazzocchi's radically progressive political views.
Mazzocchi dropped out of high school in the ninth grade when he was 16 years old. Lying about his age, he enlisted in the United States Army, and fought in Europe during World War II as an anti-aircraft gunner. He saw combat in three major campaigns, most notably the Battle of the Bulge, and helped liberate Buchenwald concentration camp.
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