Joseph was born in Orange, NJ in 1961 and raised in Springfield, NJ. He began his career in the union environment as a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local #10 in Bloomfield, NJ, in September 1980. Joseph is a third generation Sheet Metal Worker.
In 1991, Local 10 became Local 25, and Joe served Local 25 in the following capacities: Member of the Local 25 Advisory Board; Assistant Coordinator of Youth-to-Youth Organizing for Local 25; Elected a Member of the Local 25 Executive Board; Local 25 Organizer; Elected President of Sheet Metal Workers Northeast Organizing Council.

Elected Business Agent and Recording Secretary of Local 25 and re-elected to this office twice more; and, served on the Joint Apprentice Committee/Education Fund of Local 25.

In 2006 Joseph was elected President and Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 25; he also serves as Chairman of the Welfare, Vacation and Annuity Funds as well as the Joint Apprentice Committee and Political Action League for Local 25; he was elected Vice President of New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council; he was elected Vice President of New Jersey State AFL-CIO. In 2009 Joseph was elected President of the New Jersey State Council of Sheet Metal Workers and continues in that position.

Joseph is a board member of the Garden Academy, a non-profit school for children with autism.

He has a daughter Delaney.