Public Employee Press

Local 372's Debbie Nuñez dies on union trip to attend inauguration

Union activist Debbie Nuñez died in Washington, DC, during a Local 372 effort to show support for President Barack Obama by attending his inauguration in January. Nuñez, one of a dozen members of the local who accompanied Local President Santos Crespo Jr. to the nation's capital, suffered a fatal asthma attack in her hotel room.

"Debbie was a very active member of our local for almost three decades," said Crespo. "Whatever the union did, Debbie was always there helping out. We will miss her very much."

Nuñez worked at the Dept. of Education for 28 years as a Health Aide and held many leadership positions in the local. For 10 years she was a shop steward and secretary of the School Aides/Health Aides Chapter. Nuñez, whose mother was also a member of Local 372, was active in the union's Women's Committee, the Latino Heritage Committee and the Political Action Committee.

The Brooklyn native was also involved in her Bushwick, Brooklyn, community and was a district leader in the 54th Assembly District.