New Leadership Headed For The Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation As President Peter DeJesus, Jr. Steps Down To Take A Position With The New York State Workers Compensation Board
So, Who Will Lead The Nearly 145,000-Member Area Labor Fed? Decision Expected To Come In July With Buffalo Labor Council President Denise Abbott Viewed As The Front-Runner To ‘Becoming The Next & First Woman President Of The WNYALF’
(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - New leadership is headed for the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) as President Peter DeJesus, Jr. has stepped down to take a position with the New York State Workers Compensation Board.
The choice of WNYALF’s next President - who will guide the nearly 145,000-Member Area Labor Federation, is expected to come in July, with Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Denise Abbott - as of now, viewed as the front-runner to succeeding DeJesus and becoming the WNYALF’s first Woman President.
DeJesus took over for President Richard Lipsitz in March 2021 to oversee the WNYALF’s 140 affiliated Local Unions - that combine to represent Workers in the Public and Private Sectors and the Building Trades, and five individual Labor Councils.
DeJesus was nominated for the State Workers Compensation Board by Governor Kathy Hochul and actually started his new job on June 10th.
DeJesus - who’d been an Organizer and Political Coordinator for 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East and before that a Representative of the United Steelworkers (USW), is of African-American and Puerto Rican descent and became the WNYALF’s first Minority President.
He told WNYLaborToday.com he was “proud of the many accomplishments” he helped bring about over the past four years, but admitted his new position will allow him to be rooted in Buffalo and provide him with the opportunity to spend more time with his wife and children.
“‘This has been an honor of a lifetime to follow my mentor (Lipsitz) and serve our Affiliates,’” he said. “‘In fact, it’s been a tremendous’ honor. ‘I am proud of the coalitions we built and the relationships we’ve grown.’ But this new position ‘will provide me with more personal’ time. ‘It will be an adjustment, but it will be nice to watch my kids on the practice field without having to answer thirty-two phone calls.’”
DeJesus pointed to a number of major Labor conflicts over the course of his presidency – for instance, Strikes at the Catholic Health System by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in Buffalo, 1199 SEIU and the CWA’s at Kaleida Health, and yet another Strike at Friendship Dairy in Allegany County by the Teamsters, all that ended well for Organized Labor.
“‘You just keep going and do the work, but it takes all of us - and in the end, it brings about change,’” he said.
“I’ve been getting a lot of feedback, a lot of phone calls,” DeJesus added regarding Western New York’s Labor Community. “‘I guess it was a shock to a lot of people, but now it’s the next step for me.’”
While there will be some traveling associated with his new job, DeJesus says he will be positioned in Buffalo on the Workers Compensation Board and sit on some panels while he gets acquainted with his new responsibilities before personally reaching out to Western New York’s stakeholders.
“‘So far it has been good,’” he said. “‘I’m still getting my feet wet.’”
The WNYALF is anticipated to hold two meetings in the month of July - the first to discuss the opening and what area Union Leaders have to say before voting on an individual candidate or candidates looking to succeed DeJesus.
In the interim, WNYALF Vice President Denise Szymura - President of Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local 815, is serving as the Labor Federation’s President.
At this time, it appears Buffalo Council President Abbott is the only Labor Leader who has voiced interest in succeeding DeJesus.
Abbott has been President of the Buffalo Council since January 2020 and is the first Woman President of the Buffalo Labor Council since its official beginnings back in 1957.
She also serves as Secretary of the Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.
Should Abbott - who’s been a CWA Member for the past 21 years, has served as Health and Safety Director for CWA Local 1168 since 2013 and works as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Emergency Room at North Tonawanda’s DeGraff Memorial Hospital, be elected WNYALF President, she would have to relinquish both Labor Council positions.
Abbott briefly spoke to WNYLaborToday.com before she addressed those in attendance at the Buffalo United Rally and March in Downtown Buffalo over the weekend, telling Your Labor News Media Outlet: “‘I suspect I will have the support as I have been encouraged’ (too seek the position). ‘Many in the Labor Movement have already come out for me.’”
Abbott confirmed to WNYLaborToday.com that she would agree to step down from both her roles in the Buffalo and Niagara-Orleans Labor Councils should she be elected WNYALF President.
That would leave two major Labor positions open that would also have to be filled.
For More On Denise Abbott, Go To: CWA Local 1168’s Denise Abbott Becomes First Woman To Serve As President Of The Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Since Its Official Beginnings Back In 1957 - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York
WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: DeJesus Photo Courtesy Of The WNYALF’s Facebook Page. Abbott’s Photo Courtesy of CWA Local 1122’s Lori Godwin-Marranca Via Facebook.
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