William Gordon was born in 1911 in New Jersey, moved to New York City at an early age, and has lived in New York City and Brooklyn ever since. While attending Brooklyn College, Gordon took a job in a Brooklyn dye house and almost immediately became involved in organizing what was to become Local 1790. He was elected Local 1790's first president in 1933 and served as its Business Manager, 1933-1948. He was also active in the formation of the Federation of Dyers, Finishers, Printers and Bleachers (Dyers Federation) and served as a vice president of that organization until its dissolution in 1948. At that time he was appointed Assistant Director of the Dyers Division of the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA). He became the Division's Director when the former Director, Herbert Payne, died in late 1951. He held this position until 1976 when he resigned to become full-time Director of the TWUA Pension Fund. Gordon was elected to the first TWUA Executive Council in 1939 and was continually re-elected until 1964, when his faction was defeated in the Union's internal split. He regained his seat on the Council in 1972 and served four years. In 1935, although deeply involved in union matters, Gordon nevertheless was able to graduate from St. John's Law School and to pass the procedural bar exam.
