Black
Trade Unionists Open New Era with the
Election of Terry L. Melvin to Lead CBTU
William (Bill) Lucy ends his historic
tenure at the helm of CBTU after redefining the role African American workers
in unions over four decades.
A new era has dawned in the
American labor movement with
the election of Terrence (Terry) L. Melvin as the new president chosen to lead
the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Melvin, who is also the
secretary-treasurer of the powerful New York State AFL-CIO, succeeds William
(Bill) Lucy, the iconic labor leader who had held the position since he
co-founded CBTU in 1972. Melvin was elected unanimously over the past weekend
by delegates who attended CBTU’s international convention in
Since
being elected secretary-treasurer of the 2.5 million-member New York State
AFL-CIO in 2007, Melvin has championed the development of strong ties between
labor, religious organizations and community partners. With this, in December
2008, he spearheaded the development of the NYS AFL-CIO Community Outreach
Department, which he oversees the day-to-day operations.
In the
political arena, Melvin has worked continuously to increase voter registration
as well as to promote get-out-the-vote drives. He is also active in national,
state, local, city and school board elections.
After
starting the CBTU Buffalo Chapter, Melvin was elected in 1996 to be director of
CBTU Region One, which represents trade unionists in
In his
acceptance remarks after taking the oath of office, Melvin warned CBTU members
not to fall into the trap of nostalgia or complacency. “We
cannot rely on CBTU’s golden legacy to protect our collective bargaining rights
today. We must fight like hell now
– again and again.
Our
place in the voting booth is not reserve, either. We must fight voter
suppression tactics all over the country.”
Melvin
is an ordained Baptist Minister. He serves as Associate Minister and
Assistant to the Pastor at
He is
a graduate of the
CBTU,
which is dedicated to addressing the unique concerns of black workers and their
communities, has 50 chapters in major U.S. cities and one in Ontario, Canada.
For More Information Contact:
Monday, May
29, 2012
Dwight Kirk (202) 257-3966
dflat@mindspring.com
William
(Bill) Lucy is a founder and the first President of the Coalition
of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), which was formed in 1972. He is one of
the most revered and highest-ranking black labor leaders in the world.
Under his leadership, CBTU has earned global and grassroots respect as
a catalyst for progressive change. He has guided CBTU's rapid expansion
in the last decade, from 27 chapters in 1991 to more than 50 chapters
today, including a chapter in Ontario, Canada.
In addition to his pioneering role in CBTU, Lucy is the elected International Secretary-Treasurer the second highest ranking officer of the 1.3 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and he has served in that position continuously since 1972.
Lucy also is an important leader of the AFL-CIO. In October 1995, he was named a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, the highest decision-making body in the powerful labor federation. He is also vice president of AFL-CIO's Industrial Union Department, Maritime Trades Department, and Department of Professional Employees.
After nearly three decades of involvement in international affairs, Lucy is recognized as the consummate labor statesman. He was one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement, which spearheaded the decisive anti-apartheid campaign in the U.S. in the mid-1980s. He later led the AFL-CIO delegation that monitored the first democratic elections ever held in South Africa. In November 1994, he became the first African American elected as president of Public Services International (PSI), the world's largest union federation.
In 1968, Lucy worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the historic Memphis sanitation workers strike. In the tumultuous aftermath of Dr. Kingšs assassination, Lucy helped maintain the labor-civil rights-community coalition that sealed the workers' victory and became the model used throughout the nation.
A native of Memphis, Lucy attended the University of California at Berkeley. A civil engineer by trade, he was an assistant materials and research engineer for Contra Costa County, California. In 1965, he became President of AFSCME Local 1675, Contra Costa County Employees. Lucy joined the AFSCME International staff in 1966 and later became executive assistant to AFSCME's late president, Jerry Wurf.
Lucy serves on numerous boards, including the NAACP, TransAfrica, Black Leadership Forum, the Africa America Institute, and the Council of Institutional Investors. He also has received numerous honors. Last year Ebony magazine once again named Lucy as one of "The 100 most Influential Black Americans."
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