William Alan O'Neill (born May 22, 1936) is the Australian-American former media executive who, in a 50-year career, held multiple positions within News Corporation, including two separate terms as head of News International, a Director on the company's main board, and Executive Vice President of News Corporation with global responsibility for human resources. Early life and career O'Neill and his two brothers were born in Sydney, Australia, to Irish parents, John and Margaret O'Neill (née Kitson). They grew up in the northern suburb of Chatswood. In 1952, he commenced a six-year apprenticeship as a hand and machine compositor with Truth and Sportsman, publisher of the Sydney Daily Mirror. After completing his apprenticeship and military draft commitment in the Australian Army, he traveled to the United States, where in 1958, he joined the International Typographical Union in San Francisco. He also worked for a time in Canada and was employed with The Vancouver Sun when, in 1958, it merged with the other major newspaper, The Province. He returned to Australia and the Daily Mirror as a Linotype operator just before the company was bought by Rupert Murdoch. He brought an interest in trade unionism with him from America and became a vice president of the New South Wales branch of the Printing Industries Employees' Union of Australia. Disenchanted with union politics, he joined a research and development team within Murdoch's News Limited and after a short time was selected to lead the company's industrial relations. In 1981 he was sent to London to negotiate with the Fleet Street unions. A successful agreement allowed Rupert Murdoch to purchase The Times and Sunday Times. O'Neill and fellow British negotiator, John Collier, were named Joint General Managers of Times Newspapers Limited and appointed to its board. In 1983 he negotiated with the print unions for their entry to the new print center at Wapping. Talks broke down and he took over duties in New York as Vice President/Labor Relations at News America. His responsibilities involved the New York Post, the Boston Herald, the San Antonio Express-News and the Chicago Sun-Times. In 1985 he was sent back to London to again negotiate with the print unions regarding Wapping. These talks were unsuccessful and led to the 13-month-long Wapping dispute. Most of 1986 saw him fulfilling the role of General Manager at the New York Post and meeting with the British unions in an attempt to