Thomas Germano, postal worker, union leader, scholar from Babylon, dies at 86

Thomas Germano’s wallet was filled with inspirational quotes from such notables as Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of which read: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," his family said.

Throughout his life, Germano fought injustice and was a labor union legend, according to his daughter Judi Germano, of Montclair, New Jersey.

Germano, a former postal worker from Babylon, died on Aug. 27 at age 86 from multiple myeloma.

Thomas Germano was born on Feb. 18, 1940 in Chelsea, Manhattan. He lost his mother at a young age and helped to raise his two younger siblings, family said.

Charlie Feniello, Germano’s childhood best friend and fellow postmaster, said the two were more like brothers than friends.

"He came over all the time. We took care of each other, we were thick as thieves," Feniello, of Yaphank, said. "Letter carriers were very important back then because people depended on us for Social Security checks, love letters, information. We took care of each other during those tough times and struck against the federal government together."

As leader of Branch 36, Germano was among those who demanded fair wages during the Great Postal Strike of 1970, an eight-day strike by postal workers that began in New York City and spread to over 200,000 workers across 33 cities..

'Trusting, supportive'

Germano married his first wife, Rosalie Chamberlain of Ithaca, in 1961. In 1972, the couple moved from New York City to Glen Cove, where they raised four children: Elizabeth (died 2021); Thomas; Andrew and Judith. They divorced in 1993, but remained dear friends, family said. In 2000, he married his second wife, Mary Ann Russell (died 2008) and became a stepfather to James Miller, of Babylon, and Patti Miller Retzlaff, of Four Oaks, North Carolina.

His son Thomas German, of East Norwich, said his father was "always trusting, supportive, and encouraging."

"He was as proud of my milestones as I was of his. We celebrated each other’s accomplishments and birthdays, and never wavered in mutual support and friendship," he said. "I think my father would want his legacy to be remembered as someone who helped others whenever he could, was kind, generous, and as a teacher he was very giving of his time and talents."

Germano was a skilled golfer and enjoyed playing Scrabble, watching movies, collecting memorabilia and spending time with his family.

"He was a great dad — very involved, very fun, fair, and his family was the most important to him," his son Andrew Germano, of Indialantic, Florida, said. "He was very passionate about his causes and did whatever he could to help people who were being oppressed. He was a great role model and a respected figure in his field but always remained humble."

In 1983, Germano earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. He later taught at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Queens College. During his time as director of Cornell University’s ILR School, Long Island Extension (1976-2003), he educated generations of labor leaders, professionals and students.

'Inspired students'

Germano’s daughter, who moved him into her Ithaca home during the final months of his life, remembered him as being "full of love, someone who was always able to turn a stressful or difficult situation into something better because of his charm, wit and intelligence."

"He always taught me to stand up for what is right, and to be courageous because doing so is not always the easiest or most popular path," she said.

Angelica Santomauro, director of the American Labor Museum in Haledon, New Jersey, met Germano 35 years ago when she was a teacher and remembered him as "a very kind and special individual."

"I asked him to come to my school to talk about labor unions. He inspired students, and people, to understand that no one is 100 percent correct. There is always a middle road that you have to come to through talking and communicating and expressing your views," Santomauro of North Bergen, New Jersey, said. "Arbitrators are known as peacemakers and that is so reflective of his personality."

Later in his career, Germano became a labor arbitrator and heard cases involving postal workers. When he worked for the postal union, Germano represented postal workers when their jobs were threatened or if they were going through disciplinary actions. He also resolved thousands of labor disputes for the New York State United Teachers, Long Island Rail Road, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties. He founded the Labor Management Center on Long Island and served on the board of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He retired in 2020.

"Throughout his career, he loved that he had the ability to help people and stand up for justice," his daughter said. "The dignity he defended and the values of justice, fairness, education and hard work that he passed to his family and generations of working people — that is his legacy."

In addition to his children, Germano is survived by two stepchildren; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Sept. 8 at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Babylon. Contributions in his name were made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and Island Harvest.