Vice President Gloria Johnson is a dedicated trade unionist who has been a tireless, forceful advocate for removing the economic and social barriers confronted by women and people of color in the labor movement and society while working to ensure equal access to economic opportunities. Throughout her career, she has been at the forefront of the battles to protect the civil rights and human rights of workers.
She was elected president of CLUW (Coalition of Labor Union Women) in 1993. Under her leadership, CLUW focused attention on women’s and children’s health care, family and medical leave, labor law reform, sweatshops, workers’ and human rights, voter education and participation, organizing and political education. She promoted debate and insisted on action to achieve full representation and participation in every aspect of union governance.
Since stepping down as president of CLUW, she has focused her attention on leading the Labor Coalition for Community Action, a new umbrella organization comprised of all AFL-CIO constituency groups, that hosted town hall meetings in 25 communities throughout the spring until election day.
Prior to her retirement from the IUE, she was a vice president and director of the union’s Department of Social Action and chair of the IUE Women’s Council.
She was elected an AFL-CIO Vice President in 1993 and contributed to the Executive Council as Chair of the Committee on Women Workers and as a member of the committees on Civil and Human Rights, Legislative/Public Policy, Member Education and Training, International Affairs, Political Education, Strategic Approaches and Finance. She serves on the board of directors of the National Labor College.
On behalf of the men and women of the unions of the AFL-CIO, the Executive Council expresses its gratitude and appreciation to Gloria Johnson for her service and devotion to the members of her union, to CLUW and to the labor movement.