William J. McCarthy

William J. McCarthy (July 2, 1919 – November 19, 1998) was an American labor leader and official in the Teamsters. He was appointed president of the Teamsters on July 18, 1988, defeating interim president Weldon Mathis. Although he began a re-election campaign in 1990, a new democratic election process and the rise of a reform movement within the union led him to withdraw and retire at the end of his term. He stepped down as president at the end of 1991 when his term of office ended. McCarthy was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1919. When he was 15, McCarthy stole a car and took Boston police on a high-speed chase. He ditched the car near the offices of Teamsters Local 25 and hid in the cab of a tractor-trailer truck. When the driver returned, McCarthy talked him into taking him to New York City. McCarthy and the driver became friends, and McCarthy learned to drive a big rig. In 1936, McCarthy stole a blank baptismal certificate and faked his birth date so he could qualify for a chauffeur's license. He joined Local 25, and worked for Benjamin Motor Express. McCarthy served in the United States Army during World War II. In 1946,McCarthy was elected president of the 7,000-member local. McCarthy was elected an international vice president of the Teamsters in 1969. He was elected president of Joint Council 10, which oversaw all Teamsters locals in New England, in 1972. McCarthy ran for election for First Vice President, then the union's number-two position, in 1984. He lost. Union President Jackie Presser accused him of seeking the assistance of organized crime in his election bid. McCarthy denied the accusation, and the case was closed after no additional evidence was forthcoming. In June 1988, union president Jackie Presser took a leave of absence due to ill health. Weldon Mathis, then the union's secretary-treasurer, was named his successor. Mathis enforced two union contracts even though the membership had not approved them by a majority vote. When Presser died in