Chicago, IL
Sister Nancy Riche's lifelong commitment to workers' and women's rights has improved the lives of workers around the globe. She has been instrumental in promoting women's equality throughout the trade union movement.
Sister Riche's dedication to protecting the rights of workers provides an inspiration to the global trade union movement. Her tireless efforts to increase women's representation at the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) resulted in significant changes in the institution's constitution. As Chair of the Women's Committee of the ICFTU from 1996-2002, she helped to implement policies that resulted in an increase in the number of women on the ICFTU's Executive Board and the appointment of an Assistant General Secretary who is a woman. Through Sister Riche's leadership, the ICFTU has made equality one of its top five priorities.
Sister Riche's tireless efforts to protect workers' and women's rights resulted in new campaigns dedicated to promoting equality. In 2002, the ICFTU launched a global campaign for the unionization of women entitled, "Unions for Women, Women for Unions." The campaign works to significantly increase women's membership rates, with the ultimate goal of doubling the number of women union members. In addition, the campaign aims at breaking down the barriers to women becoming union members, activists and leaders.
Sister Riche was one of the highest-elected women leaders in the history of the CLC. She came to the CLC as a seasoned union leader and community activist, serving for a number of years as Secretary-Treasurer of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). Throughout her years in the labor movement, she has served in many impressive leadership positions. Since 1986, she served as an Executive Vice President of the CLC, and in 1999 she was elected Secretary-Treasurer. She also directed the Departments of Women and Human Rights and Political Action. In these positions, Sister Riche was responsible for a diverse set of issues facing the labor movement—health care, employment insurance, privatization, women's and human rights, and political action.
For her lifetime of union activism, leadership and tireless work to improve the lives of working women around the world, the AFL-CIO is pleased to award the 2002 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award to Nancy Riche.