CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state AFL-CIO chapter has reelected Josh Sword as president of the organization.
The organization met Wednesday for its constitutional convention, in which labor leaders unanimously approved Sword to a four-year term as well as reelected Andy Walters as secretary-treasurer and the fourteen vice presidents that make up the West Virginia AFL-CIO Executive Board.
“We are honored to have been given the trust of more than 600 affiliated unions, 70,000 working families, and 70,000 retirees here in the Mountain State,” Sword said.
“We face many challenges, not the least of which being the incredibly divisive political climate that has developed in our country and state, but with the help and support of our board and all our members, Secretary-Treasurer Walters and I are eager to move this labor movement forward and make West Virginia a better place for all West Virginians to live and work.”
People approved to the Executive Board include:
— Fred Albert; AFT-West Virginia.
— Heather Anderson; United Steelworkers.
— Bob Brown; AFT-West Virginia.
— Mike Caputo; United Mine Workers of America.
— Joe Carter; United Mine Workers of America.
— Dan Doyle; American Federation of Government Employees.
— John Epperly; State Building Trades.
— Joyce Gibson; Service Employees International Union.
— Elaine Harris; Communications Workers of America.
— Jessie King; Laborers’ International Union of North America.
— Charles Parker; International Union of Operating Engineers.
— Dan Poling; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
— Gary Southall; United Food and Commercial Workers.
— Brian Wedge; United Steelworkers.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler also attended the meeting, noting West Virginia is at the “center of gravity” in the push to improve labor rights.