Frey, John

Frey, John (Philip)

(1871–1957) labor leader; born in Mankato, Minn. He moved to Massachusetts as a young man and apprenticed as an iron molder. He joined the International Molders and Foundry Workers Union (1893) and went on to serve as its long-time vice-president (1900–1950). He was an aide to Samuel Gompers. A conservative unionist, he defended craft union "purity" and held unskilled workers in disdain. He vigorously opposed any union between the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organization, which did occur after his death.