Fred Redmond to Serve as AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer

USW International President Tom Conway issued the following statement today after the AFL-CIO Executive Council elected USW International Vice President Fred Redmond to serve as secretary-treasurer, making him the first African American to hold the organization's No. 2 office:

“We are incredibly proud that the AFL-CIO Executive Council selected USW International Vice President Fred Redmond to serve as its secretary-treasurer alongside AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

“Fred is a decades-long union activist with a proven commitment to both negotiating good contracts and advancing civil and human rights, including through his recent work as chair of the AFL-CIO Task Force on Racial Justice. We know that he will bring the same passion and dedication to his new position.

“Workers across our nation are facing unprecedented challenges, and we are deeply grateful to Fred for assuming this role, even as he continues his work with the USW. Rich Trumka’s passing reverberated throughout the labor movement, but despite our grief, I know Fred, like all of us, is committed to ensuring the AFL-CIO’s vital mission goes uninterrupted.”

AFL-CIO President to Congress: Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder:

One year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Working people throughout America—from large urban cities to small rural towns—protested peacefully, marched down streets and declared three words: Black Lives Matter. Today, we continue to demand action to root out systemic racism in all forms. On the anniversary of his murder, the labor movement joins our allies in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill is not only a legislative priority, it’s our nation’s moral obligation. Elected leaders should work together with all stakeholders, including America’s unions, to finally make police reform a reality.