George David Gritz, a 58-year member of the Laborers union, died of lung cancer in Richland, Washington, March 26 at the age of 76.
Gritz was the second of three generations to serve the laborers union in Northeastern Oregon. His father George Herman Gritz was business manager of Laborers Local 682 from 1963 to 1974. His son Jeffrey Gritz is the business manager of the Oregon and Southern Idaho District Council of Laborers.
Gritz was born Oct. 28, 1948 in Miles City, Montana, and moved to the town of Ordnance, Oregon, at a very early age when his father found work as a construction laborer on the Umatilla Army Depot. After graduating from Hermiston High School he joined the U.S. Navy and did nearly three years of his service in Vietnam on a river patrol boat. After an honorable discharge, he joined Laborers Local 682.
As a road construction laborer, he several times helped rebuild Cabbage Hill, paving, installing guardrails, and operating a drill to prepare for blasting. Cabbage Hill, also known as Deadman’s Pass, is a section of Interstate 84 known for its hazardous grade. He also ran concrete crews at PGE’s coal-fired and co-gen plants at Boardman including constructing its giant smokestack. (He was later an honored guest at its demolition.)
Gritz also followed his father into union involvement. He served as Local 682 president from 1974 to 1977. He was elected business manager of the local in 1980, and continued to serve in that role through the local’s merger with Central Oregon and Eugene locals in 1987. Within newly formed Local 121, he served as vice president and president and then business manager from 1998 until he retired in 2004. (In 2015, Local 121 merged with Portland-based Local 296 and Local 320 to form today’s Local 737.)
As leader of the Laborers local, he was very active with the Pendleton Building Trades Council and served as its president. He was also active with the Oregon Building Trades Council and served on its board.
Being business manager meant negotiating contracts to improve members lives, and using economic and political strategies to keep them employed. At a rural local covering three-fourths of Oregon, it also meant that Gritz spent many long hours on the road and away from home, missing out on time with family. In retirement he made up for that, attending sports games of his grandchildren and continuing community involvements like 4H, Future Farmers of America and the Hermiston Little League.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday May 3 at Burns Mortuary Chapel, 685 W Hermiston Ave., Hermiston, followed by a burial with military honors at Hermiston Cemetery and a reception to follow.
