Linda Chavez-Thompson

Lubbock, Texas

Linda Chavez-Thompson became the highest-ranking woman in the labor movement when she was first elected to the new position of AFL-CIO executive vice president at the federation's 1995 convention. Born in Lubbock, Texas, on Aug. 3, 1944, Chavez-Thompson was elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council in 1993.

At the time of her election, she was vice president of AFSCME and executive director of AFSCME Council 42. In a seven-state district traditionally not friendly to labor—Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah—she steered the union's efforts to a number of successes. Among them: an organizing drive in Texas that brought in 5,000 new members and the passage of a collective bargaining law for public employees in New Mexico.

Democratic National Committee
http://www.democrats.org/about/bios/chavez-thompson.html

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees:
http://www.afscme.org/publications/public_employee/1998/pejf9824.htm

Decent biography:
http://www.gotowork.org/917894139.html

Interview with Linda on the AFL-CIO (source: Peacenet.com):
http://www.members.aol.com/pobct/chavez.html

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