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Labor leader Daniel Vincent Maroney (June 10, 1921-April 29, 1999) was born on Cabin Creek, Kanawha County. With ties to the network of Irish Catholic miners concentrated in the Kanawha Valley communities of East Bank, Coalburg, North Coalburg, and Shrewsbury, Maroney served as the international president of the 150,000 member Amalgamated Transit Union from 1973 to 1981.

Maroney graduated from East Bank High School and served in the army during World War II. After the war, Maroney attended Beckley College (now Mountain State University) and Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) and in 1947 became a bus driver for the Charleston Transit Company and soon afterward for Atlantic Greyhound. His early work experience was interrupted when his army reserve unit was activated to serve in the Korean War. Upon returning to civilian life, he helped to unionize bus drivers at Greyhound and Charleston Transit. By the late 1950s, Maroney had become president of Greyhound Local Union 1493. He soon became chairman of the Southern and then the National Council of Local Greyhound Unions. During the 1960 presidential primary, Maroney assisted John F. Kennedy in his West Virginia campaign. As a result, he remained among the contacts frequently used by the Kennedy family, especially Sen. Ted Kennedy.

In 1965, Maroney was elected a vice president in the Amalgamated Transit Union. Eight years later, he was elected president. He also served as a vice president of the national AFL-CIO and on the board of directors of the Union Labor Life Insurance Co. He died in Charleston.

This Article was written by Fred A. Barkey

Last Revised on December 07, 2015

Cite This Article

Barkey, Fred A. "Dan Maroney." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 07 December 2015. Web. 25 April 2024.