Dennis Lane (1881 – August 10, 1942) was an American labor union leader.
Born in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, Lane worked in the stockyards from an early age. He joined the
Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America's Local 87, for cattle butchers. He took part in the major strike of 1904, as a result of which, he was sacked and blacklisted. He found work in other occupations for a few years, before coming to work as full-time organizer for the Meat Cutters.
In 1914, Lane was elected as vice-president of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters, and then in 1917, to the top position of secretary-treasurer.
He led major organizing drives, which were successful during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, but foundered during the post-war depression. He led the union in a major strike in 1921, which was largely a failure. However, Lane remained in post, focusing on stabilizing the union, and promoting
industrial unionism. Despite this position, he did not seek to affiliate the Meat Cutters to the
Congress of Industrial Organizations, instead remaining loyal to the
American Federation of Labor.
Lane died in 1942, still in office.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lane, Dennis
1881 births
1942 deaths
American trade union leaders
People from Chicago
Trade unionists from Illinois