It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our beloved President Dan DiClemente. Dan spent twenty-one years and seven terms as President of BENTE and over nine years and two terms as President of AFSCME Council 66, tirelessly fighting for working people. In 2018, Dan was appointed as an International Vice-President of AFSCME international, the largest public sector union in the nation. He became known as someone who would not back down from a fight when it came to his members, our community or the labor movement.
Due to Dan’s accomplished leadership and passion for giving a voice to workers, he was honored by the New York State Assembly and Senate and by U.S. Congressman Joseph Morelle in 2023.
Dan believed that in addition to giving him a living wage, health benefits and a pension the union gave him “purpose, hope and community.”
Dan’s courageous work transformed the lives of thousands of community members and forever changed the lives of everyone who knew him.
We are heartbroken at the loss. Yet, his legacy of fighting for “working class heroes” lives on in our enduring collective activism and within the walls of our new Daniel S. DiClemente union hall. Dan was our leader, our mentor and our dear friend and will always and eternally be our brother.
The details regarding any memorial services or ways to honor Dan’s memory will be shared in the near future. Please keep Dan’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.
Dan’s Obituary can be found here >>
AFSCME Council 66
Danny will always be the Brother that brought our Union Local 2574 to the realization of what a UNION is! Not only a mentor but personal caring. I will forever be grateful to have met him and the path he paved for me. God Speed Brother
Past Trustee C66, Past President Local 2574, Friend
Liz Gugino
RIP to Dan, May god bless his family at this difficult time.
Please accept my deepest condolences.
We Will miss you test Peace
I’m extremely saddened to hear this news I was fortunate enough to meet Dan in person last year at the conference for the first time it was nice to meet him and I learned so much about our union that I never knew before
Rest in Peace Dan you will are missed and loved by so many people god bless you and your family.
You will be miss 🙁 RIP my Dear friend, my deepest condolences and prayers for the family.
Dan was a tremendous advocate for his members and all workers benefited from his tireless efforts to improve wages and working conditions throughout this community. May you rest in peace
Going back over 20 years with Dan on picket lines, we often walked and talked together. If we disagreed on some point, Dan’s intellect was first rate and he always made me smile and laugh. Few were as effective an advocate for their union members and for justice in our community and State. The greatest legacy of Dan, other than Laura and his daughters, is the union he leaves behind. Dan was the key to building a union that championed and left us diversity in leadership and advocacy, competence, and commitment. You will always be missed Brother. Rest In Peace and Condolences to all who knew Dan.
Dan was an awesome person to work with! Although we were in different unions in the RCSD no one could tell unless they just knew it, because we got along that well! Even when it came to negotiations! He was an amazing advocate for his members. He was a GREAT guy and will be missed!! May he rest in peace. My sincerest condolences to his family!
So sorry to hear of this. Our condolences to his loved ones and to Council 66. -Local 855