Arthur R. Osborn Jr. 

Arthur was born in Waltham, his parents Carolyn and Arthur Sr. then moved to Lexington, where he attended school grades 1 – 12. Arthur is the oldest of his siblings, Danny, Natalie, and Cheryl.

His first job in High School was for First National Food Stores where he was a member of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Food Store Workers Union. Then Six years active duty in the US Navy serving as an engineer on both the Aircraft Carriers USS Kitty Hawk and USS Forrestal during the Vietnam War. Arthur then followed the family into business at Raytheon where his Dad had been employed along with his uncle Richard who worked in Labor Relations. Arthur was convinced by his coworkers to run for shop steward and as Arthur says. “The rest is history”. Arthur eventually worked his way to becoming a full time Union Officer of IBEW 1505, serving on the Union’s executive board, as Vice President, President, and Business Agent as well as serving as the President of the Lowell Central Labor Council and as a Vice President on the Mass AFL/CIO executive board. In that time frame, he studied Labor and Law at UMASS Boston, participated in the Harvard University Trade Union Program and the George Meany Labor Institute, as well as enrolling in labor classes at the Labor Guild, on Harrison Avenue under the direction of Father Mort Gavin and Father Ed Boyle. Arthur felt it was a field where one could solve problems while serving the interest of the worker as well as the corporation.

After 20 years serving as a labor representative, he had an opportunity to transition into a management Labor Relations position with Raytheon as a labor relations manager for their Northeast operations. This was not an easy decision for Arthur. A piece of him felt like he was betraying the cause that he worked so hard for and the working people he defended for so many years. Arthur turned to three of his confidants, his Dad and his uncle Richard that told him “be the best you can be and not to forget where you came from”. And Fr. Ed Boyle, who told him that “good management people are as important as good labor people. When both parties understand that, it leads to the essence of the mission of the Labor Guild”. So, Arthur accepted that position and soon after wound up as labor relations manager for Raytheon Guam where he spent almost 2 years. Returning from Guam Arthur went to Reston, Va. Where he became Director of Labor and Employee Relations for Raytheon Technical Services, continuing up the corporate ladder eventually to Director of Global Labor Relations, Waltham, Ma. Arthur eventually began his consulting practice Osborn Labor-Management Consulting.

As mentors, Arthur recognizes his Dad who always taught him to root for the underdog and be the best that you can be. Jim Mulloney Business Manager for IBEW 1505 who taught him to “follow the contract, if there is something you don’t like try to change it the next negotiations”. Jack Torpey who made it possible for him to move into Raytheon Labor Relations and provided steady thoughtful guidance during his career and still does. 

Arthur sites his greatest accomplishments as his marriage to Wendy the birth of his two children Yvonne and Arthur III and the births of his two granddaughters Emily and Haley.

On how he sees the future of his profession, he answers: “Unfortunately, I see it as a diminishing trade. Corporations do not seem to put the importance of dedicated Labor Relations professionals that they should. They want to assign these tasks as a secondary part of an HR professional. Labor and Management both need to get back to basics of working together for a common good. Each side must understand that in order to survive their success depends on each other. Empathy must play a part in any labor management relationship”. Arthur’s interests include genealogy and history as well as cooking and attempting to play golf. We are honored to present him with the Cushing-Gavin Award for Management.