Public Employee Press

Lillian Roberts to retire at end of 2014
Henry Garrido to head DC 37

After six decades in the labor movement, including leadership in DC 37 since 1965 and culminating in five terms as its executive director, Lillian Roberts announced that she will retire Dec. 31.

She delivered the momentous news Oct. 8 to a hushed DC 37 Executive Board, which broke into applause for her long and dedicated service to the membership and voted unanimously to approve her retirement and her recommendation that Associate Director Henry Garrido fill the remaining year of her term as head of New York City's largest municipal employees' union.

"This has been a very difficult decision, but we have just settled a contract that lets our members start catching up with the cost of living and advances civil rights for civil servants. We faced New York's toughest mayor and never gave back a thing. Today, DC 37 is in the best shape it has been in for many years, so I am ready for a younger generation to take the reins," said Roberts.

"It's never been easy, but it has been very rewarding to serve the membership of this union," said Roberts. "I will be judged by my deeds, but I couldn't have done much by myself. This board, our delegates and the members have been an essential part of all our accomplishments."

Roberts shattered many barriers in her career. In 1948, she pioneered as the first African-American woman hired as a Nurse's Aide by a Chicago hospital and soon became the first on the Executive Board of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, DC 37's parent national union. She was the first African-American woman to serve as New York State's labor commissioner and is the first to head DC 37.

Roberts's life in the labor movement has focused on protecting jobs, winning equal treatment for women and minority workers, battling privatization, improving members' wages and benefits and providing education, training and opportunities for public employees to advance.

She is known nationwide for her deep understanding that working-class Americans have to organize and fight back collectively to defend themselves against business and wealthy interests who aim to cut and contract out public services to reduce their taxes and maximize their profits, and that political action is essential in this struggle.

Board members rose spontaneously one after another, to praise her achievements and wish her health and happiness in retirement.

"Working men and women in New York and beyond owe a great debt of gratitude to Lillian Roberts," said DC 37 and Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez. "She stands among the great labor leaders of all time."

"Leadership is earned with dedication and action. Lillian Roberts has shown undying love and commitment to the members of DC 37 and built a vision for this union that I will strive to carry forward as we face new challenges," Garrido said.

For more on Lillian Roberts and Henry Garrido, see Six decades of fighting for working people.