The AFL-CIO Executive Council mourns the passing of our brother and friend, Walter Wise, former general president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers.
Throughout his four years as president and 42 years of membership with the Ironworkers, Wise’s commitment to service and excellence helped solidify the Ironworkers as one of the safest, most knowledgeable and hardest-working skilled labor forces in North America.
Raised in Virginia and California, Wise’s career as an Ironworker began in 1973, when he served his apprenticeship in Local 697 in Roanoke. He became a journeyman four years later and worked on structures across the region.
Wise served as business manager for Local 697 in Richmond, Virginia, for nearly a decade before joining the international staff in 1997 as general organizer. The following year, he was elected president of the Ironworkers’ Mid-Atlantic States District Council and began his service as a general vice president. He later served as general treasurer and general secretary before becoming president in 2011.
As president, Wise focused the union’s efforts on growing membership and expanding career opportunities for members. He was passionate about advancing a culture of jobsite safety throughout the industry, and his tireless advocacy for the health and safety of Ironworkers has, without a doubt, prevented injuries and saved lives.
The AFL-CIO Executive Council sends our deepest condolences to his family and friends, as well as to his Ironworkers family. He will be missed but not forgotten.