Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, William Henry Burrus is the son of William and Gertrude Burrus. He graduated with honors from Lincoln High School and attended West Virginia State College. In 1954 he volunteered for military service, serving with the 101st Airborne Division and 4th Armored Tank Division of the United States Army for three years. With his wife Ethelda, he has four daughters and a stepson.
Like many veterans, Burrus joined the United States Postal Service on leaving the army in 1958. He worked as a distribution clerk in Cleveland, Ohio, and was involved in union matters from the start. He was involved with the Cleveland postal workers during the 1970 postal strike and in 1971 served on the committee that merged five unions into the APWU after the national restructuring of the United States Postal Service. In 1971 Burrus was elected director of education and research of Ohio State APWU. He rose to national attention in 1972 when he joined the national APWU human relations committee.
Burrus became national executive vice president of the APWU in 1980, after six years as president of the Cleveland APWU Local. He worked alongside popular president Moe Biller to make the union one of the most successful of all American labor unions at winning concessions for its members. Biller, who had been the driving force behind the 1970 postal service shutdown, retired at the age of eighty-five, handing over the presidency to Burrus at one of the most troubling times in the union’s history.
Like many veterans, Burrus joined the United States Postal Service on leaving the army in 1958. He worked as a distribution clerk in Cleveland, Ohio, and was involved in union matters from the start. He was involved with the Cleveland postal workers during the 1970 postal strike and in 1971 served on the committee that merged five unions into the APWU after the national restructuring of the United States Postal Service. In 1971 Burrus was elected director of education and research of Ohio State APWU. He rose to national attention in 1972 when he joined the national APWU human relations committee.
Burrus became national executive vice president of the APWU in 1980, after six years as president of the Cleveland APWU Local. He worked alongside popular president Moe Biller to make the union one of the most successful of all American labor unions at winning concessions for its members. Biller, who had been the driving force behind the 1970 postal service shutdown, retired at the age of eighty-five, handing over the presidency to Burrus at one of the most troubling times in the union’s history.
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, William Henry Burrus is the son of William and Gertrude Burrus. He graduated with honors from Lincoln High School and attended West Virginia State College. In 1954 he volunteered for military service, serving with the 101st Airborne Division and 4th Armored Tank Division of the United States Army for three years. With his wife Ethelda, he has four daughters and a stepson.
Like many veterans, Burrus joined the United States Postal Service on leaving the army in 1958. He worked as a distribution clerk in Cleveland, Ohio, and was involved in union matters from the start. He was involved with the Cleveland postal workers during the 1970 postal strike and in 1971 served on the committee that merged five unions into the APWU after the national restructuring of the United States Postal Service. In 1971 Burrus was elected director of education and research of Ohio State APWU. He rose to national attention in 1972 when he joined the national APWU human relations committee.
Burrus became national executive vice president of the APWU in 1980, after six years as president of the Cleveland APWU Local. He worked alongside popular president Moe Biller to make the union one of the most successful of all American labor unions at winning concessions for its members. Biller, who had been the driving force behind the 1970 postal service shutdown, retired at the age of eighty-five, handing over the presidency to Burrus at one of the most troubling times in the union’s history.
Like many veterans, Burrus joined the United States Postal Service on leaving the army in 1958. He worked as a distribution clerk in Cleveland, Ohio, and was involved in union matters from the start. He was involved with the Cleveland postal workers during the 1970 postal strike and in 1971 served on the committee that merged five unions into the APWU after the national restructuring of the United States Postal Service. In 1971 Burrus was elected director of education and research of Ohio State APWU. He rose to national attention in 1972 when he joined the national APWU human relations committee.
Burrus became national executive vice president of the APWU in 1980, after six years as president of the Cleveland APWU Local. He worked alongside popular president Moe Biller to make the union one of the most successful of all American labor unions at winning concessions for its members. Biller, who had been the driving force behind the 1970 postal service shutdown, retired at the age of eighty-five, handing over the presidency to Burrus at one of the most troubling times in the union’s history.
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