Walsh Character Analysis in Out of This Furnace

A union organizer from Pittsburgh who comes to Braddock to help organize the steel workers there into an independent workers’ union. He is not especially proactive and instead prefers to let union authorities in Pittsburgh make decisions about organization in Braddock. Walsh’s indecisiveness and passivity in the face of the company’s anti-labor activity earns him the ire of Dobie and other workers.

Walsh Character Timeline in Out of This Furnace

The timeline below shows where the character Walsh appears in Out of This Furnace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...of you.” He explains to her what a secretary does and says he thinks that Walsh, a middle-aged and generally incompetent organizer from the AFL’s Pittsburgh office, will do much of... (full context)

The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon

...assures her, “and they'll think twice before they start anything.” He complains to her about Walsh’s uselessness to the lodge, and they listen as Kracha pumps water for his hillside garden... (full context)

...company is disciplining union men and giving them fewer hours than non-union men. Gralji tells Walsh that the men are clamoring for recognition, and that they may go on strike to... (full context)

Walsh downplays this threat and urges the other men to let Pittsburgh run the union as... (full context)

...Association (AA) expels striking workers from the Weirton lodges. Dobie bristles over the incident, but Walsh insists that Pittsburgh knows what it is doing. Dobie angrily warns Walsh that the Weirton... (full context)

...When the AA sends paperwork requesting a meeting with the Braddock mill management, Dobie asks Walsh how the papers should be delivered to Flack. Flack offers no help and says he... (full context)