‘America’s Oldest Labor Union’ to honor Magnolias of Lancaster resident

LANCASTER, Pa. - Sept. 9, 2014 - PRLog -- Magnolias of Lancaster resident Carl Henry Flory will be honored for 50 years of continuous membership in the CWA Columbia Typographical Union 101-12, which also is known as “America’s Oldest Labor Union.”

    “Carl is a well-respected member of the union,” said Robert Stevenson, President of the Columbia Typographical Union whose headquarters are in Washington, D.C. “Carl was very well-liked and very personable in his role with the union. He represented the people well. The members had confidence in him.”

    Flory will be recognized during a luncheon at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on September 17.

    “We are so proud of Carl Flory for all the contributions he has made as a member of the Columbia Typographical Union,” said Melissa Waltman, Executive Director at Magnolias of Lancaster, a senior living community. “He was a very active member of his union. We are excited to accompany him to this event.”

    Flory, 77, is a native of Chambersburg, where he resided until he joined the U.S. Navy. After he returned from the service, Flory obtained his union card in 1964. He worked at a newspaper in Southeastern Pennsylvania for several months. He later worked at newspapers in Baltimore and Washington D.C.

    “He started out delivering papers and picked up on the trade at the Public Opinion in Chambersburg,” said Sharon Flory, one of Carl’s daughters. “He learned how to operate a key piece of equipment from an old-timer who retired, and he stepped into a great position. His initiative of learning kicked off his career.”

    Sharon Flory is one of Carl’s three children. Sharon has been in the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) for 24 years. Her sister, Deborah Flory, is a sergeant with the Maryland State Police and has been a member of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for 18 years.

    “This is an awesome honor for my dad,” Sharon Flory said. “He is a second generation union printer. His uncle was a printer. So this honor is even more special to our family because both my sister and I are union members. He entered a career when linotype machines were a standard and watched the transformation to computers in the industry. His proofreading skills were near perfection when working for the Government Printing Office.”

    Carl Flory spent 19 ½ years with the Washington Post. Eventually, he joined the U.S. Government Printing Office, where he worked from the late 1980s until his retirement in 1997. Throughout his career and even after his retirement, Flory remained a member of Columbia Typographical Union No. 101-12, which was organized on January 7, 1815.

   Carl Flory held many important positions during his service in the union. He served as both secretary-treasurer and as a chapel chairman, two of the most significant roles a union member may hold. He was part of the executive board, which is a group that advises the president.

    Flory served as a delegate representing his local union at national conventions. He also was secretary of the Progressive Party, one of two parties within the union.

    “Carl’s been quite active in the union ever since he came down from Pennsylvania,” said William Ryan, Secretary of Columbia Typographical Union. “He worked in Baltimore for a while and spent most of his time in Washington. Carl held a number of offices in the union and did a great job of representing his fellow members.”