BCTGM Pres David Durkee (right) is congratulated as the 2019 Paul Hall Award honoree by MTD Executive Secretary-Treasurer Daniel Duncan in New York City last June.
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International President David B. Durkee passed away March 30 following an extended battle with cancer. He was 66 years old.
Brother Durkee was a 47-year member of the union, having started his career in his native Indiana. In announcing his passing, the union’s website stated, “There was no fight he wouldn’t lead, no adversary he wouldn’t confront, if the best interests of the BCTGM were at risk.”
Durkee received the Paul Hall Award last year from the Maritime Port Council of Greater New York/New Jersey. He was a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council and had served on the MTD executive board prior to his becoming BCTGM president.
“David Durkee always stood up for his members,” recalled MTD/SIU President Michael Sacco. “He was a quiet, effective leader and will be greatly missed.”
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, “The entire labor movement is saddened by the death of Dave Durkee. We have lost a brother, a friend and a fierce defender of working families. Dave spent his life fighting for workers’ rights and advocating for a fair and just society. His dedication to our movement and our country leaves a lasting legacy…. It is a sad day for those of us who had the privilege of knowing Dave. We mourn his passing and will continue to fight like hell for the values he held dear.
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