LRA's 27th Annual Labor Awards Dinner Honors DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts; Local 420 President Carmen Charles (Nov. 21, 2002)
Created by: Administrator,Last modification on 21 Nov 2002 [06:00 UTC]
Hundreds of union leaders, activists, members and supporters turned out to honor District Council 37, AFSCME, Executive Director Lillian Roberts and Local 420, AFSCME, President Carmen Charles at the Labor Research Association's 27th Annual Labor Awards Dinner held November 21 in New York City.
New York, New York (Nov. 21, 2002) — DC 37, AFSCME, Executive Director Lillian Roberts speaking at LRA's Labor Awards. Photo by Sam Hollenshead.
Lillian Roberts received LRA's Labor Award in honor of her lifelong commitment to the labor movement and her pioneering work as a union organizer with AFSCME and District Council 37.
In recognition of her outstanding leadership as a rank-and-file activist, LRA presented Carmen Charles with its Ernest DeMaio Award.
New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes delivered the night's keynote address and AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer President William Lucy had the honor of introducing Ms. Roberts.
"We are proud tonight to be honoring two women who in a short time have given the members of AFSCME a new optimism and have garnered a new respect from people throughout our City," said LRA Executive Director Greg Tarpinian in welcoming guests to the awards dinner. "Two union leaders who promise to bring new positive visibility for AFSCME and our entire labor movement in years to come: Sister Lillian Roberts and Sister Carmen Charles."
Labor Award for Outstanding Leadership
From the beginning as a nurse's aide in Chicago to her current work as Executive Director of District Council 37, Lillian Roberts has been a passionate union leader and activist.
In her speech, Ms. Roberts thanked everyone in the labor movment and pledged that DC 37 will be fighting hard for every civil service job in New York City and will refuse to back down in the face of budget cuts and attacks on city jobs.
"We don't always win those fights," said Ms. Roberts, "but a damn good battle will let them know you are in there, and that they should not be taking you on."
"I'm going to do my very best to see that everybody in labor, that we work with them so that this will be a better place for all of us, because now is the big test," added Roberts amid cheers.
Following her speech, LRA Executive Director Greg Tarpinian presented Ms. Roberts with LRA's 27th Annual Labor Award.
DeMaio Award for Rank and File Activism
New York, New York (Nov. 21, 2002) — Local 420, AFSCME, President Carmen Charles speaking at LRA's Labor Awards. Photo by Sam Hollenshead.
Recently-elected as president of Local 420, which represents 9,000 New York City hospital workers, Carmen Charles personifies the values and spirit of LRA's Ernest DeMaio Award for Rank-and-File Activism — named after LRA's late board member Ernest DeMaio.
Under the banner of "Workers for Workers," Ms. Charles led a movement of her fellow city hosptial workers to reform their union and make it better serve its members.
In April 2002, Ms. Charles and her slate won a hotly-contested union election against the local's out-of-touch leadership. Energized by new leadership, Local 420 is now on the road to building a stronger, more democratic union for its members.
In receiving the DeMaio award, Ms. Charles delivered a rousing speech that showed why members of Local 420 supported her.
"No matter what title I will hold in the labor movement, I will always consider myself to be a lifelong rank and filer," said Ms. Charles.
"I know that my mission as President of Local 420 ... is to educate every member and to empower every member, because I believe that everyone of us in this room, no matter what your title is, you can be an activists in your own right," added Charles. "It does not take a whole lot, all you need is determination and will power. And we can all change our workplace, we can all change our unions, and we can change whatever the situation that we have to change."
More Photos from LRA's 27th Annual Labor Awards Dinner
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Lillian Roberts received LRA's Labor Award in honor of her lifelong commitment to the labor movement and her pioneering work as a union organizer with AFSCME and District Council 37.
In recognition of her outstanding leadership as a rank-and-file activist, LRA presented Carmen Charles with its Ernest DeMaio Award.
New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes delivered the night's keynote address and AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer President William Lucy had the honor of introducing Ms. Roberts.
"We are proud tonight to be honoring two women who in a short time have given the members of AFSCME a new optimism and have garnered a new respect from people throughout our City," said LRA Executive Director Greg Tarpinian in welcoming guests to the awards dinner. "Two union leaders who promise to bring new positive visibility for AFSCME and our entire labor movement in years to come: Sister Lillian Roberts and Sister Carmen Charles."
Labor Award for Outstanding Leadership
From the beginning as a nurse's aide in Chicago to her current work as Executive Director of District Council 37, Lillian Roberts has been a passionate union leader and activist.
In her speech, Ms. Roberts thanked everyone in the labor movment and pledged that DC 37 will be fighting hard for every civil service job in New York City and will refuse to back down in the face of budget cuts and attacks on city jobs.
"We don't always win those fights," said Ms. Roberts, "but a damn good battle will let them know you are in there, and that they should not be taking you on."
"I'm going to do my very best to see that everybody in labor, that we work with them so that this will be a better place for all of us, because now is the big test," added Roberts amid cheers.
Following her speech, LRA Executive Director Greg Tarpinian presented Ms. Roberts with LRA's 27th Annual Labor Award.
DeMaio Award for Rank and File Activism
 |
Recently-elected as president of Local 420, which represents 9,000 New York City hospital workers, Carmen Charles personifies the values and spirit of LRA's Ernest DeMaio Award for Rank-and-File Activism — named after LRA's late board member Ernest DeMaio.
Under the banner of "Workers for Workers," Ms. Charles led a movement of her fellow city hosptial workers to reform their union and make it better serve its members.
In April 2002, Ms. Charles and her slate won a hotly-contested union election against the local's out-of-touch leadership. Energized by new leadership, Local 420 is now on the road to building a stronger, more democratic union for its members.
In receiving the DeMaio award, Ms. Charles delivered a rousing speech that showed why members of Local 420 supported her.
"No matter what title I will hold in the labor movement, I will always consider myself to be a lifelong rank and filer," said Ms. Charles.
"I know that my mission as President of Local 420 ... is to educate every member and to empower every member, because I believe that everyone of us in this room, no matter what your title is, you can be an activists in your own right," added Charles. "It does not take a whole lot, all you need is determination and will power. And we can all change our workplace, we can all change our unions, and we can change whatever the situation that we have to change."
More Photos from LRA's 27th Annual Labor Awards Dinner
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