Goodbye, George Meany. Hello, Tefere Gebre.

For many, Meany – the gruff, cigar-smoking plumber who led the nation’s labor movement for decades, embodies the image of unions in the 20th century. But it’s a new century and this labor movement is perhaps best personified in Gebre, a fiery local labor leader on track to be the next executive vice president of the AFL-CIO.

In an election to be conducted during this week’s AFL-CIO convention, federation President Richard Trumka has tapped Gebre to run on his slate to replace Arlene Holt Baker, who is retiring. The third member of the team is Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, who became the youngest ever executive officer when she was elected four years ago.

The 44-year-old Gebre is drawn from the ranks of the local labor councils, where building consensus among diverse unions is critical to accomplishing the key work of the federation. A former staff member for the Laborers union and the AFL-CIO at the state and national levels, Gebre has worked for the past seven years in Orange County, California, one of the most politically conservative areas of the country.

First as political director, then as executive director of the Orange County Labor Federation, Gebre has revitalized the labor movement and built membership at a time when most unions are struggling.

He did so, he said in a speech to the International Labor Communications Association last week, by reaching out to community allies and building meaningful partnerships. And by using the unions’ political clout to hold elected officials accountable to all workers – not just union members.

“I am really excited to part of this movement – a movement that wants to speak for McDonald’s workers, car wash workers, domestic workers and other low-wage workers,” Gebre said.

Despite its reputation as a haven for the rich, Orange County is home to many low-wage workers, many of them immigrants. Gebre, who came to the United States from Ethiopia when he was 14, has built ties with the Vietnamese community – the largest outside Vietnam – and the county’s sizable Latino population.

Unions sponsor citizenship programs in their meeting halls. Immigrant and native-born members of Orange County unions have joined with community groups to campaign for comprehensive reform of the nation’s immigration laws and policies.

Building such coalitions are critical if unions are to survive, Gebre said. “We need to have a genuine transformation of the relationship with our community.”
 
At the same time, he has posted significant wins on more traditional “bread and butter” issues, getting both prevailing wage measures – which put a floor underneath construction wages – and living wage policies passed.

Under Gebre’s leadership, some 400 workers who sort trash – yes, they pick through conveyer belts loaded with trash to find recyclable materials – were able to organize and benefit from a union contract.

And Meany would appreciate Gebre’s approach to politics.

Before a candidate for elected office can receive labor endorsement, she or he must take a five-hour class on union history and values. Some 500 candidates have done so. Those who get elected, but don’t stand up for workers, suffer immediate consequences.

Grebe cites the case of a lawmaker who voted against an increase in the minimum wage, only to be deluged – and publicly shamed – by 2,000 handwritten letters from constituents demanding to know why he voted against them and their families.

At the convention, Gebre will be advocating for greater labor-community collaboration. He also is a strong proponent of a resolution that condemns the high level of incarceration in the United States and supports the restoration of full citizenship to those convicted of nonviolent crimes.