Walter W. Wise Jr., 74, a steel unionist since 1973 who as president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers launched key worker safety and development programs, died Feb. 12 in Hendersonville, N.C., an online obituary published by the National Academy of Construction said in a disc in which he was including 2018.
Wise studied civil engineering at the college level at Virginia Tech before pursuing a craft career, eventually serving in local, regional and national union leadership roles. As general president of the rail union from 2011 to 2015, he launched the “See Something! Say Something!” initiative to drive the acceptance of a more collaborative workplace safety culture in the industry. “You’re your brother and sister’s keeper, and if you’re not willing to tell them something at work when they’re insecure, what are you going to tell their loved ones?” I knew about the security program.
He was also responsible for starting—with the union’s current IMPACT labor-management arm—a “zero fatality” campaign in 2012 after three union members died in falls at the former World Trade Center site in New York City. The effort was said to have contributed to an 80% reduction in ironworker fatalities compared to the previous five-year averages and would be a model for future safety efforts.
Wise “pushed tirelessly” to provide career opportunities for American union members, said IMPACT CEO Kevin Hilton. “I loved working with him.”
But during Wise’s tenure, the international union was also forced to take over management of its Philadelphia Local 401 after several of its managers and members were indicted on charges including racketeering, conspiracy and arson at non-union projects, ENR reported in 2014.
Wise also served on the executive board of the AFL-CIO and was treasurer of the National Multiemployer Plan Coordinating Committee. He promoted union training on expanded national certification for welders and publicly advocated for increased federal attention to infrastructure investment. “We must question why political battles at the congressional level have swallowed up funding to improve America’s bridges. This is a slow-motion scandal with far-reaching implications.” he said in a 2013 CNN op-ed.
At his retirement, the AFL-CIO said the union’s impact on the wider industry was “a testament in part to Wise’s drive, passion and focus.”
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