Michael Casey (unionist)

Michael Casey
Casey c. 1902
San Francisco Commissioner of Public Works
In office January 8, 1902 – January 8, 1913
Appointed by	Eugene Schmitz
Preceded by	A. B. Maguire
Succeeded by	Adolph Judell
Personal details
Born	(1860-09-21)September 21, 1860 Elphin, County Roscommon, Ireland
Died	May 2, 1937(1937-05-02) (aged 76) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Nationality	Irish-American
Political party	Union Labor
Occupation	Labor unionist

Michael Casey (September 21, 1860 – May 2, 1937) was an Irish-born American labor unionist and politician who served as San Francisco Commissioner of Public Works from 1902 to 1913.

Born in Elphin, County Roscommon, in Ireland, Casey emigrated with his family to the United States in 1871. When Michael was 12, the family settled in San Francisco. From 1889, Casey worked as a teamster, driving a team of horses. In 1900, he and John P. McLaughlin founded a local of the Team Drivers' International Union in the city. The following year, he led the union through a major strike, during which he was nicknamed "Bloody Mike" by opponents, a title which he embraced.

Political cartoon published in The Wasp depicting Casey, Eugene Schmitz, and Abe Ruef attempting to use the labor vote to infiltrate the Republican Party

In 1902, Casey was appointed Commissioner of the city's Board of Public Works, where he served until 1913. He was the leader of the anti-Schmitz faction of the Union Labor Party. Eventually, he became disillusioned with local politics, and decided to focus his time on labor unionism.

In 1903, the Team Drivers merged into the new International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which appointed Casey as its West Coast organizer. In 1912, he won election as second vice-president of the union. In the role, he opposed strikes, and negotiated an end to the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike. He died in 1937, still in office.