Harry W. Fraser

Harry W. Fraser was born on 7 June 1884 at Topeka, Kansas. In 1900 he began work as a railway clerk, and later he became a brakeman and a conductor. In 1929 he was appointed secretary to the president of the Order of Railway Conductors, a railway labor union. He moved on to become chief clerk, deputy president, vice president and finally president of the union.^[1]

Harry W. Fraser was president of the Order of Railway Conductors of America from 1941 to 1950.^[2] During World War II ORC membership increased from 33,000 in 1939 to 37,800 by 1945.^[3] Fraser encouraged the Order of Sleeping Car Conductors (OSCC) to join the Order of Railway Conductors during the war.^[2] The OSCC amalgamated (merged) with the ORC in 1942.^[4] During World War II Fraser was a representative of labor interests on the government's Management-Labor Policy Committee.^[2] He served on this committee from 1943 to 1945. He was a member of the national council of Boy Scouts in 1943.^[1] Fraser was twice president of the Railway Labor Executives' Association.^[5]

Harry W. Fraser suffered a series of heart attacks at the union convention in Chicago.^[6] He died at the Illinois Central Hospital on 13 May 1950, aged 65.^[5] Roy O. Hughes of Milwaukee was elected his successor.^[6]

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