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Almost 600 delegates and observers welcomed a new president and other officers at the 15th Biennial Convention which concluded on October 17th in Los Angeles. The theme of the convention was "The Rising Tide of Change: Activism, Leadership – Union Women!!" Demonstrating this theme for a new and vibrant leadership, CLUW delegates elected Karen J. See as its new president.
 Karen has been involved in the labor movement since 1980 when she joined APWU on her first day as a postal clerk. She was the first woman elected as president in APWU’s Boise, ID and Mansfield, OH local unions, where she maintained at least 90 percent membership while in office. Karen also served as president of the Boise Central Labor Council and as the financial secretary for the Crawford/Richland OH Central Labor Council.
As CLUW’s Membership and Field Organizer since July 2007 she has expanded its membership, increased CLUW’s visibility throughout the country and established new chapters. Her election was a rousing endorsement for change--where organizing is a top priority and where CLUW plans to expand its membership from more unions than ever before.
This change also reflects the need for women to have a more forceful voice in their unions as rank and file members, in leadership positions and as partners with CLUW’s community allies. With women about to become the majority of the workforce and the largest growing sector in the labor movement, CLUW intends to step up to the plate to play a more visible and active role.
Karen can well attest to the needs of working women and mothers being the youthful mother of eight and grandmother of six. She has been married to Gregory B. See for ten years. He is a national officer of APWU, serving as the Assistant Director of the Maintenance Division.
Karen stated upon assuming office, "I feel a new excitement about the possibilities for the work CLUW can accomplish. I am looking forward to working with the officers and members of CLUW to improve the lives of all working women. We will be more active in our communities as we build partnerships with community allies together fighting for the needs of women and families..."
Also elected were Janet E. Nelson (AFSCME) as Executive Vice President (previously National Vice President); Judy Beard (APWU) was re-elected as National Treasurer, Dolores Gorczyca (IFPTE) was re-elected as Recording Secretary and Gloria Brimm (UAW) was elected as Corresponding Secretary (previously National Vice President).
The convention delegates voted to increase the number of officers from unions that had not been previously represented. Examples of this change are newly elected National Vice Presidents: Sandra Burleson (TWU), Michele Newby (IAFF), Joanne M. Sanders (IATSE) and Victoria Sawicki (NALC). Other newly elected National Vice Presidents include: Shelvy Young Abrams (AFT), Diane Babineaux (IAM), Carol R.Censki (AFSCME), Janet Hill (USW), Jackie L. Jeter (ATU), and Elisa Riordan and Brenda Savoy (CWA). The following incumbent Vice Presidents were also re-elected: Bennie R. Bridges (AFGE), Ann Converso (UAN), Theresa Kandt (OPEIU), Kerry Newkirk (SEIU) and Carolyn J. Williams (IBEW). |
