Arlene Holt Baker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arlene Holt Baker
Arlene Holt Baker after speaking at the AFL-CIO Quadrennial Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 16, 2009.
Born	1951 Fort Worth, Texas
Occupation	Union organizer, Labor activist
Known for	Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO

Arlene Holt Baker (born in 1951) is an American trade union activist and a leader in the labor movement. She started working with the AFL-CIO in 1995. In 2007, she was chosen to be the executive vice-president of this large group of unions. She was re-elected in 2009. Arlene Holt Baker was the first African American person to hold such a high position in the AFL-CIO.

Arlene Holt Baker's Early Life and Union Work

Arlene Holt Baker was born in 1951 in Fort Worth, Texas. Her father, W.S. Leslie, was a laborer. Her mother, Louise Leslie, worked as a domestic worker. Arlene was one of seven children in her family.

Becoming a Union Organizer

In the late 1980s, Arlene Holt Baker became an organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). This union helps people who work for the government. She started by organizing public workers in California. Later, she became a staff representative for the international union.

She moved up to become an "area director" in California. In this role, she helped AFSCME with collective bargaining. This is when a union talks with employers to get better pay and working conditions for its members. She also led the union's political work for state and national elections.

Arlene Holt Baker's Career at the AFL-CIO

In 1995, John Sweeney became the president of the AFL-CIO. He chose Linda Chavez-Thompson as his executive vice-president. Chavez-Thompson, who was also from AFSCME in Texas, hired Arlene Holt Baker as her executive assistant.

Leading Important Campaigns

Arlene Holt Baker took on many important tasks. In 1998, she led a successful effort for the AFL-CIO in California. They worked to defeat Proposition 226. This law would have made it harder for unions to collect dues and use them for political reasons.

Because of her success, she became an executive assistant to AFL-CIO president John Sweeney in 1999. She stayed in this job until she was appointed executive vice-president. One of her main jobs was directing the AFL-CIO's Voice@Work campaign. This project aimed to get community support for union organizing efforts.

Political Efforts and Elections

As a top helper to John Sweeney, Arlene Holt Baker often led the AFL-CIO's political work. In the year 2000, she led a group of unions. They helped register voters and encouraged supporters in Pennsylvania. This state was very important for unions in that election. Many said labor's efforts helped the Democratic candidate win Pennsylvania. She led this group again in 2002, helping Ed Rendell win the governor's election.

Her political work continued in 2003. She became president of the Working America Alliance. This was a group set up by AFL-CIO unions. Later that year, she led Voices For Working Families (VFWF). This group raised a lot of money for political causes.

In 2005, Sweeney asked Arlene Holt Baker to manage his campaign for re-election as president of the AFL-CIO. He won that election.

Helping After Hurricane Katrina

In 2005 and 2006, Arlene Holt Baker led the AFL-CIO's response to Hurricane Katrina. This terrible storm hit Louisiana and Mississippi. She helped organize disaster relief in the first few months after the storm. Then, she oversaw the AFL-CIO's plans to invest and rebuild in the affected areas.

Becoming Executive Vice President

On September 11, 2007, Linda Chavez-Thompson announced she would retire. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney quickly said he wanted Arlene Holt Baker to take her place. Ten days later, the AFL-CIO Executive Council voted. They all agreed to make Arlene Holt Baker the executive vice-president. Her term ended in 2009.

Arlene Holt Baker was re-elected for a full four-year term in September 2009. This happened at the AFL-CIO's big meeting, which takes place every four years. In 2013, Tefere Gebre, an immigrant from Ethiopia, took over her position.

Arlene Holt Baker's Political Involvement

Arlene Holt Baker has been active in Democratic Party politics for most of her adult life. In 1988, she was chosen as a delegate from California to the 1988 Democratic National Convention. She supported Michael Dukakis at that convention.

She rose high in the Democratic Party of California. She was even elected the state party's First Vice Chairwoman. She left this job in 1995 to start her work with the AFL-CIO.