Lin Mayes, a former secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 555, died in a Salem hospital April 4. He was 66.
Linden Henry Mayes was born Oct. 11, 1946, in Elmira, New York. He began his career at age 15, taking a job at a small butcher shop in New York. After high school he went to work for American Stores as a meatcutter. He later became the meat market manager and a member of Amalgamated Meat Cutters Local 1.
He married Sandra in 1967. They had two children. In 1972, while working at the Meats and Foods Warehouse in New York City, Mayes was promoted to general manager in charge of seven stores in the New York metropolitan area.
He moved his family to Oregon in 1978, taking a job as a meatcutter for Albertsons. He worked there for 17 years — two years as assistant meat sales manager for the Albertsons Oregon Division.
As a member of UFCW, Mayes served as a shop steward, volunteered on organizing committees, and served as a picket captain.
In 1987 he was appointed to the local’s Executive Board, and in 1995 he was hired as a union representative covering Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Stayton, Silverton, Woodburn, Bend, Redmond, Madras and Burns.
Mayes held several leadership positions at Local 555, including grievance director and membership services director. He negotiated many contracts, and served as a trustee on the Oregon Federation of Butchers Pension Plan. He was appointed secretary-treasurer of Local 555 in February 2005 to fill the unexpired term of Ed Clay, who retired.
Mayes was forced to retire in May 2006 due to health reasons.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years; two children; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.
