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During the 5-˝-month-long strike from 1975 to 1976 by The Newspaper Guild, Teamsters and other unions at the Daily Times in Chester, Bell was a frequent visitor supporting the workers.
John DeFrancisco, president of UAW Local 1069 which represents 1,500 production/maintenance workers a Boeing Helicopter in Ridley Township, recalled Bell's longtime efforts on behalf of working men and women.
When DeFrancisco worked at the former Westinghouse Electric Corp. plant in Tinicum from 1969 to 1979, "whenever the labor issues called us to be out on a wildcat strike or a sanctioned strike, you could always count on Sen. Bell to make an appearance in support of the labor movement," he said.
The senator routinely sent the union headquarters in Eddystone a newsletter informing them about issues affecting labor and his position on them.
"His 100 percent record in support of labor issues will surely be missed in this area," DeFrancisco said.
"All the thoughts and prayers of our membership go out to the senator's family."
Whenever he visited the senator at his Media office, "he always welcomed me by my first name - and it's a friendship that I will always cherish," DeFrancisco said. "It shakes me to believe that labor has lost such a good friend."
Bill George, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO which represents 900,000 workers in the state, said, Bell "was not only helpful for workers in Delaware County, but was a friend to working families all over the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
"He stood up many times against his own colleagues and in the face of adversity for working families," George said.
"He was that type of guy ..he always spoke out for us in caucuses on the floor of the Senate.
"He loved his military background and he understood the role of working families in building this state and would not turn his back in the time of need for their families.
"We will truly miss him for his support," George said.
Staff writer Rose Quinn contributed to this report.
