Earl Miller led the postal workers' union

Earl Miller, who was the first black president of the Minneapolis Area American Postal Workers Union and a leader in the AFL-CIO, got things done, whether on behalf of union members or as a "foot soldier" in the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP.

Miller, of Richfield, a former longtime Minneapolis resident, died of pancreatic cancer on Friday in St. Paul. He was 87.

In 1965, Miller was elected executive vice president of Local 125 of the United Federation of Postal Clerks and re-elected when a merger created the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).

In 1972 he was elected president of the Minneapolis area Local 125 of the APWU, serving through 1978, when he retired from the Postal Service.

"The lessons he taught to me and other [union] people will go on," said Jerry Sirois, current president of Local 125.

"He taught that in negotiations, it's not all about winning," Sirois said. "It's about finding something that is mutually beneficial to both sides."

Sirois said Miller advocated that unions form coalitions outside their organization. And he credited Miller with many improvements for workers, such as increasing wages and leading the drive for a parking ramp for downtown postal workers. It was a safety issue, especially for night workers.

Ron Cohen, the retired communications director for the state AFL-CIO, remembers Miller's savvy leadership when Cohen was a steward for the postal workers in the 1960s.

"Earl was known for his sound judgment," Cohen said.

Miller, who led the APWU during a time when it was predominantly white, never forgot the black community, said Matt Little, former president of the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP. "I could always depend on Earl to get things done," Little said.

Miller turned down a board position at the NAACP, Little said, because he wanted to be a "foot soldier."

Although Miller didn't attend the 1963 March on Washington for civil rights, he worked hard helping to organize Minnesotans' participation in the historic event, Little said.

For nearly 40 years, Miller was active in the state AFL-CIO, including leading the sergeants-at-arms committee for the union's annual convention, and serving as a member of the Committee on Political Education and as the APWU's delegate to the convention.

He also served many years on the board of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center in Minneapolis.

He had served in the Army during World War II in North Africa and Italy.

Miller is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jeanette of Richfield; daughters Gail Fullington of Minneapolis, Marcia Miller-Taylor of Minneapolis and Tracy Miller-Parsons of the Twin Cities; a son, Byron of Minneapolis; sisters Mildred Lacy of Las Vegas, and Evelyn Martin of Minneapolis; eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 W. Broadway, Minneapolis.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Estes Funeral Chapel, 2210 Plymouth Av. N., Minneapolis.

Ben Cohen • bcohen@startribune.com