Barred for generations from even joining unions’ rank and file, African-Americans have pushed for and attained high-level positions in American organized labor. But despite successes, for black women, the struggle continues. While making advances on behalf of all female labor leaders, black women in District Council 37 – from rank-and-file members to shop stewards to the president – are fighting the good fight for their members.
In a labor union as large as New York City’s 100,000-member-plus District Council 37 in New York City, black women leaders still trail behind men. But the female leaders stand out because of their indefatigable efforts to represent and protect this union’s membership. Satisfaction among members is evident when rigid battles are won and leaders’ activism and achievements inspires members.
CARMEN CHARLES, President, DC 37, Local 420
After dedicating 15 years of her life to labor activism, Carmen Charles says her work still does not seem like a job. The seven-term president of DC 37’s Local 420 the 10,000 member New York City Municipal Hospital Employees Union – said she never thought in her wildest dreams when she left her native home of Guyana 42 years ago that she would one day lead the fourth-largest public sector union in New York City.
“It’s exhilarating,” she said of her recent reelection.
While working as a nurse’s aide at Coler-Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island in the 1980s, Charles did not aspire to become a labor organizer.
“There was one lady – I guess she saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself – and she was in leadership in the local at the time,” Charles said. “She kept nagging at me for two, three years, and I said, ‘Okay,’ and I became a shop steward. For me, it wasn’t so much about injustice with management or internal fighting within the union. The president was a dictator and that caused me to want to challenge him.”
Local 420 represents 8,500 nonmedical workers in 1,600 public hospitals, acute hospitals and nursing homes. Under Charles’ leadership, members have what she considers to be a “very good” healthcare package, which includes free coverage with no out-of-pocket costs, and dental, vision and podiatry care. Other benefits include an education fund with degree and certificate programs, as well as legal services for housing, immigration and other issues. Members the Local 420 work nontraditional hours, which Charles and her leadership take into consideration.
“What is unique about Local 420 is that we have a 24-hour operation, we have people on location in every facility,” she said.
And keeping members content is about much more than tangible end results, Charles said. For her, it’s all about how one approaches leadership. “I bring passion and a dedication to this job that I can’t compare to my colleagues,” she said. “More importantly, I bring the fight that is needed for this job – and compassion.”
Improving internal organization is one of Charles’ goals for her new term.
“I will be focusing on the rank-and-file activism,” she said. “Without member involvement, we don’t have a union; we just have an organization.”
Although Charles says she is winding down her career, she adds that she hopes that her legacy will be that she worked to inspire new, young leaders – something unions’ leadership says it does but does not always put into action, she said.
“I am trying to create new leaders, and I want to be able to really mentor young people to learn the process of leadership,” Charles added.
CARLETTA POGUE-BREWER, Shop Steward, DC 37 Local 384
Union work was never part of Carletta Pogue-Brewer’s initial career path. She now works in the bursar’s office as a cashier specialist/supervisor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC).
Yet it was her commanding presence at a member’s meeting 16 years ago that made a union president take notice.
“Sandy Tucker, the president of Local 384, was trying to speak and get the meeting started when I witnessed the members being so out of order and disrespectful,” she recalled.
Not one to hold her tongue, she silenced the room by saying: “Calm down and relax so that the president can speak.”
“To my surprise, the members got quiet,” she recalled.
Tucker called her following week during student registration, BMCC’s busiest time of the year, to ask whether she would be interested in becoming a shop steward for Local 384. She accepted the position, which she still holds today. “President Tucker still speaks of the day that I stood by her side,” she said.
What motivates this shop steward and 25-year veteran BMCC employee is what she calls her “wanting and willingness to assist” her co-workers and members of DC 37 Local 384.
“It brings a smile to my face, and a joy of getting involved feeling inside,” she said, adding that her greatest hope for her members is that they stay involved and continue to support the union’s cause. “We will continue growing in union power,” she said. “Unity is the future.”
ISA CLARKE, Member, DC 37 Local 1407
Isa Clarke has been a member of DC 37’s Local 1407 for 20 years. The college accounting assistant for BMCC prepares reports, pays vendors and reconciles bank statements among other duties.
Originally from Barbados, Clarke finds that DC 37’s unions work the same way they do in her native country.
“[Local 1407] represents their member in equality wages, reasonable working hours, paid holidays, grievances, etc.,” she said. “I enjoy excellent medical benefits, paid holidays, accrued vacation and sick leave.”
Although she attends member meetings, Clarke said she does not have a larger role in the union. However, she recognizes
