Karla May

Karla May

Karla May is a Missouri State Representative.

Background

Karla May is a lifetime resident of the city of St. Louis first ward, where her mother, Parrie May served as alderwoman. She is a graduate of St. Louis University, where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, and Lindenwood University where she received her Master of Arts in Teaching. She has been employed for the past eleven years at AT&T, and works as a union steward with CWA (Communication Workers of America 6300). She also serves on the legislative committee and has lobbied the legislature for years on issues affecting the lives of working men and women. She is a union card carrying member of CBTU (Coalition of Black Trade Unionists), St. Louis City Labor Club, and CWA. May has been a board member for the St. Louis Philanthropic for the past thirteen years. This board awards grants to agencies with education and welfare programs.

Politics

Karla May started her career in politics at the age of eight years old stuffing envelopes, and passing out literature, when her mother former Alderwoman Parrie May was working a campaign for a local politician. By the age of seventeen years old she organized a group of people and began running street teams, and organizing for men and women who she believed were good candidates and had the best interest of the community at heart. She ran her first campaign as a candidate for committeewoman in the 1st Ward where she currently resides. She filed for State Representative in February 2010, and ran a successful campaign. She now currently holds the position of the 84th District State Representative in the city of St. Louis.

Missouri Employee and Human Rights Coalition

The Republicans want to undermine and turn back the clock on equal rights," freshman state Rep. Karla May (D-57) told activists and reporters as they packed into state Capitol hearing room #2 for a Missouri Employee and Human Rights Coalition press conference in St Louis February 15.

May, a member of Communications Workers of America Local 6300 and a leader in the St. Louis Coalition of Black Trade Unionists , said Republican-proposed changes to the Missouri Non-Discrimination Act were like "Jim Crow laws and Black codes."

She added, "We shouldn't even entertain a bill that tramples the legacy of those who lost their lives fighting for equal opportunity."

The bills in question, House Bill 205 and Senate Bill 188, would require a higher burden of proof in discrimination cases, would decrease or eliminate jury-awarded punitive damages, eliminate individual liability and make it easier for businesses to fire whistleblowers.

Supporting striking miners

Nine miners, including their union's president, were arrested in protests against the nation's largest coal company in St Louis Missouri, January 29, 2013.

"I didn't come here today as the President of your union. I came here as a representative of our retirees and our widows, " United Mine Workers' of America international president, Cecil Roberts, told over 1,000 miners, union supporters, community and faith leaders, as they rallied just steps away from the St. Louis Federal Court House.

According to the union, Peabody Energy and Arch Coal - the nation's largest coal companies - created the spin-off company, Patriot Coal, in a scheme to rob thousands of union members and beneficiaries of their pensions and health care benefits.

Patriot Coal filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2012.

Lew Moye, president of the St. Louis chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists , called Patriot's actions "despicable and criminal."

Missouri state representative, Karla May, Dem.-84, a member of the Communication Workers of America, Local 6300, said, "I stand with you. We know their real goal isn't just to get rid of your health care and benefits. We know their real goal is to destroy all unions."

May, who is also a member of CBTU, also told the assembled union members about attempts "here in Missouri, and across the country, to impose so-called right-to-work, which would weaken all unions."

Calloway Awards Banquet

The St. Louis Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Ernest and De Verne Calloway Awards Banquet was held on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in downtown St. Louis. Speakers included Congressman William Lacy Clay, Jr., Secretary of State Candidate Jason Kander, Governor Nixon representative Damion Trasada, State Representative Karla May.

The MC for the program was Mary Armstrong, President of the St. Louis Teachers Union. Over 250 guests were in attendance. Congressman Clay stated “the upcoming election is the most important election in generations, this election is about you, your families and your future, and we need to turnout in massive numbers for President Obama and the Democratic Party State Ticket”.

CBTU Chapter President Lew Moye stated “we can win Missouri for President Obama with a massive turnout from the African American Communities.

Honoring Lew Moye

Terry Melvin, Bill Lucy, Clem Smith, Lew Moye, Karla May, Mark Esters

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After 35 years at the helm, longtime labor leader and social justice activist Lew Moye stepped down as president of the St. Louis Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, effective Nov. 1 2014.

CWA Local 6355’s Mark Esters, vice president of the St. Louis Chapter, will assume the leadership role.

Moye and St. Marks Family Church, which has served as a safe haven and central meeting place during the unrest in Ferguson, were honored Oct. 18 at CBTU’s 28th Annual Ernst and De Verne Calloway Awards banquet.

Moye is known in the St. Louis region and nationally for his progressive activism in the labor movement and the African American community.

“It is an honor to follow behind a legend like Lew,” Esters said. “Those are big shoes to try to fit into. It’s a big lift.”

Attendees at the event included CBTU International President Terry Melvin, CBTU founder and President Emeritus Bill Lucy, Missouri State Representatives Clem Smith, and Karla May, and CBTU Chapter Vice President Mark Esters.

St. Louis Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

St. Louis Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Executive Board, as of December 2014;

• Mark Esters-President (CWA 6355)
• Lew Moye -President Emeritus (UAW 110)
• Fay Davis -Secretary (UAW 691)
• Harriett Weaver - Asst. Secetary (UFCW 655)
• Mike Ringo -Treasurer (IAM Dist 9 Lodge 1345)
• Yvette Goods -Trustee (IBEW 1)
• Karla May -Trustee (CWA 6300) Mo State Rep. (84th Dist)
• Clem Smith -Trustee (IAM 837A) Mo State Rep. (85th Dist)
• James Ozier -Sgt at Arms (Carpenters 92)

2015 Hershel Walker Peace and Justice Awards

On Saturday, May 2, 2015, the Missouri/Kansas Friends of the People's World hosted the 23rd Annual Hershel Walker 'Peace and Justice' Awards breakfast to recognize outstanding leaders and activists, and their work towards creating a more just and equitable society.

A diverse crowd of 120 union, community, peace and faith leaders joined together at 9:30 a.m., at the Communication Workers of America, Local 6300, union hall for a morning filled with conversations and solidarity.

"This is an awards ceremony for activists," said Nicholas James, a Service Employees International Union collective bargaining rep. "This is amazing. Usually, only famous people get awards. That we take the time to recognize the everyday, ordinary people struggling to change our world is what makes this Awards Breakfast so special."

At 10:00 am, Holly Roe, a community activist and CWA Local 6355 shop steward, welcomed everyone. She gave special thanks to Rebecca Bolte for making the breakfast program booklets; Missouri State Reps. Tommie Pierson, Karla May and Sharon Pace; and the granddaughters of Hershel Walker, Ms. Evette Shannon and Ms. Trina Albright, who brought photos, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia related to Hershel Walker's life as a Communist Party, union and community activist..

MRCC connection

Activists from the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Missouri Sierra Club and Missouri Coalition for the Environment met with Missouri state rep. Karla May Feb. 14, 2017.