Coalition of Labor Union Women elects new president

Longtime United Food and Commercial Workers activist Susan Phillips, a vice president of her union and director of its working women’s department, was elected the new President of the Coalition of Labor Union Women.

Phillips succeeds 11-year CLUW President Gloria Johnson, a 50-year unionist and a CLUW co-founder. Johnson, who has also served as an IUE/CWA vice president, stepped down at CLUW’s board meeting in Albuquerque, N.M., on Aug. 26. The board elected Phillips to serve the remainder of her term, through fall 2005.

“From breaking the glass ceiling, health care, women and children, women in the global economy and voter participation to publishing a wealth of information on a variety of women?s economic and health security issues, Johnson positioned CLUW as a leading advocate for the advancement of women and minorities,” CLUW Executive Director Carol Rosenblatt said.

Rosenblatt said Phillips “shares Johnson?s commitment to the mission of CLUW.” Johnson said her successor “brings energy, know-how and unbridled commitment to CLUW and to working men and women. Her leadership will help CLUW not only continue its course, but will increase the outreach to younger women.”

Johnson helped CLUW expand its missions of organizing the unorganized, empowering women politically, promoting affirmative action–she was the second African-American woman on the AFL-CIO Executive Council–and increasing women?s participation in unions, Rosenblatt added.

Johnson also led union women in campaigning against unfair trade treaties, opposing sweatshops in the U.S. and denouncing human and labor rights abuses here and abroad. And she launched CLUW projects on women’s health, labor?s response to HIV/AIDS, contraceptive equity and equal pay.

Phillips, who moves up from her seat as a CLUW vice president, was elected an UFCW vice president in 1998 and re-elected last year. Besides running UFCW’s working women’s department, she manages programs for retirees, with major emphasis on organizing and political action.

Before her current UFCW position, Phillips directed its publications and worked as a legislative representative for the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department. She is also a former CLUW treasurer.

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