Mike Quill | |
|---|---|
 Mike Quill in 1938 | |
| Head of the Transport Workers Union of America | |
| In office c. 1936 – January 28, 1966 | |
| Member of the New York City Council | |
| In office January 1, 1938 – January 1, 1940 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Joseph Quill September 18, 1905 Gortluchura Kilgarvan, County Kerry, Ireland |
| Died | January 28, 1966 (aged 60) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | American Labor |
| Spouses |
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| Children | John Daniel Quill |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Irish Republic |
| Branch/service | Irish Republican Army Anti-Treaty IRA |
| Years of service | 1919–1923 |
| Battles/wars | Irish War of Independence Irish Civil War |
Michael Joseph "Red Mike" Quill (September 18, 1905 – January 28, 1966) was one of the founders of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), a union founded by subway workers in New York City that expanded to represent employees in other forms of transit. He served as the President of the TWU for most of the first thirty years of its existence. A close ally of the Communist Party USA (CP) for the first twelve years of his leadership of the union, he broke with it in 1948.
Quill had varying relations with the mayors of New York City. He was a personal friend of Robert F. Wagner Jr. but could find no common ground with Wagner's successor, John Lindsay, or as Quill called him "Linsley", and led a twelve-day transit strike in 1966 against him that landed him in jail. However, he won significant wage increases for his members. He died of a heart attack three days after the end of the strike. Quill's leadership is not only noted for his success in improving workers' rights but also for his commitment to racial equality, before the Civil Rights Era.