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AFL-CIO Affiliates Choose IBEW Leaders in, Arizona, Illinois and Baltimore

April 17, 2007

The IBEW has a rich history of preparing members to lead local and state labor organizations. We are pleased to report on some recent selections and wish our members well in fulfilling their new responsibilities and breaking new barriers.

Illinois-Michael T. Carrigan

Michael T. Carrigan, former business manager of Decatur, Ill., Local 456, was unanimously elected in February as the new president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, representing one million members.

Carrigan, who has served as the federation’s secretary-treasurer since 2000, will serve out the remaining two years of the unexpired term of recently-retired president Margaret Blackshere.

“I’m honored that our directors have confidence in my ability to lead this esteemed organization,” said Carrigan.  “The labor movement in Illinois is strong and unified and our numbers are growing.  We have concise legislative and political agendas that support working families and we’ve built an excellent communication system to our affiliates and to community and faith-based groups.”

Arizona-Rebekah Friend

Rebekah Friend, a former business representative and lobbyist for Phoenix, Ariz., Local 387, has been selected executive director and secretary-treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO. Friend, once a meter reader for Arizona Public Service Co., is the first female to lead the state federation.

Last year, Friend led the fight for Proposition 202, which raised the minimum wage to $6.75 an hour. She has spent the last five years as the Arizona AFL-CIO’s president and legislative director. 

The first president of the Coalition for Labor Union Women in Maricopa County, Friend is a co-founder of Emerge Arizona, a non-profit organization that trains and recruits women to run for public office.

“My number one concern is the right of workers to join and form a union without coercion,” says Friend.  “We will find creative ways of getting workers into unions.”

Baltimore-Rod Easter

Rod Easter, a 26-year member of Baltimore, Md., Local 24, was elected president of the Baltimore Building and Construction Trades Council in February.  Easter is the first African-American to serve in the position.  After topping out of his apprenticeship in 1984, Easter represented the local as a shop steward and worked as a foreman and general foreman.  From 1989 to 1991, he served as a field representative for the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO.

In 2005, Easter was appointed business representative for the Baltimore Building Trades, where he maintained the local office, promoted apprenticeship programs and coordinated political campaigns. 

Easter, who has also worked on campaigns with the IBEW Membership Development Department, says, “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the building trades. It’s a challenge because we are at an all-time low membership.  This is an opportunity to be part of a resurgence of the building and construction trades. People should have whole lives and the opportunity to succeed.”