Retired SIU Vice President West Coast George McCartney, one of the union’s most enthusiastic champions for more than a half-century, died March 19 at his home in San Mateo, Calif. following a long illness. He was 72.
McCartney spent his entire career with the Seafarers. At age 17 he climbed the gangway to his first SIU ship, the Liberty tanker Catahoula, in 1948. He retired as vice president of the union’s West Coast region in 1998, but remained very active with the SIU. In fact, he attended the monthly membership meeting in San Francisco the day before his passing.
In remembering the New York City native, union officials and former shipmates pointed to McCartney’s lifelong passion for the Seafarers.
“I go back a long way with this union. I can honestly say that I never met anyone who cared about the SIU any more than George did,” SIU President Michael Sacco said March 26 at a graveside service at Seafarers Haven Cemetery in Piney Point, Md. “I always thought that if someone X-rayed George’s heart, they’d see a ship’s wheel inside, with the words ‘Brotherhood of the Sea.’”
SIU Executive Vice President John Fay described McCartney as “an eloquent spokesman for the SIU. He loved the SIU and, like most of us that came around in that era, it was his whole life…. You never heard anybody say anything unkind about him.”
Nick Marrone, who succeeded McCartney upon his retirement, noted, “I knew him for 20-plus years. He was a very honest, forthright individual. What I remember most was his positive attitude and his thumbs-up gesture…. George loved the union. This was the biggest part of his life and he enjoyed every moment of it.”
SIU Vice President Contracts Augie Tellez observed, “George embraced the cause and fought for the membership literally until his last days. In our line of work, you simply can’t have enough people like George McCartney.”
SIU Assistant Vice President Nick Celona first met McCartney in 1977 and later worked for him on the West Coast. “He was extremely loyal, he loved the union and we worked well together,” Celona said. “When it came to the merchant marine and the SIU in particular, he would always stand up. He just loved the SIU and the membership. Since he retired, he attended every meeting. I’m glad I worked with him.”
Retired SIU Vice President Contracts Red Campbell sailed with McCartney during the 1950s and later worked with him again when both were officials. “He was an excellent shipmate and he always knew his job,” Campbell stated. “Beyond that, he was ‘Mr. Union.’ George took part in many of the waterfront beefs and really was involved in all of the union’s campaigns.”
Retired SIU Bosun Joseph Morrison knew McCartney for more than 40 years. “George was a dedicated official and union member,” Morrison said. “He knew everyone and treated everyone equally. He’d be in the office very early in the morning. As the members would come in, he would shake their hands. He knew everyone’s name.”
McCartney also was a friend to the Seafarers LOG. He regularly kept in touch with the union’s newspaper staff and was quick to offer background, story ideas, compliments and constructive criticism.
“When he called our office, he identified himself as the West Coast cub reporter,” recalled Jeanne Textor, longtime office manager at the LOG. “He kept us updated on maritime issues on the West Coast and he shared his wealth of information when an SIU or MC&S member or official retired or passed away. George absolutely will be missed by all of us.”
Raised in the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York, McCartney sailed in the engine and steward departments from 1948 until 1960, when he came ashore as part of the maintenance gang in his native city. During the 1960s, he worked as a patrolman in New York and also served as the port agent in Wilmington, Calif. for two years.
He was the union’s New York port agent from 1972-76, then moved to the West Coast. McCartney worked as the Seattle port agent in 1977, then as San Francisco port agent beginning in 1978.
In 1981, he was appointed to the newly created position of West Coast vice president—a slot to which he was reelected several times, until his retirement.
McCartney was instrumental in aiding the union’s return to the passenger trade, and he also played a part in many of the SIU’s historical and central campaigns. He was active in local port councils, central labor councils, state labor federations—and anywhere else he saw an opportunity to promote the SIU’s interests.
“He was a friendly, hard-working, decent, loyal person,” SIU President Sacco remembered. “Most of all, he was—and always will be—a Seafarer.”
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