Addie Wyatt
Addie L. Wyatt
CBTU
The original 1972 leaders of Coalition of Black Trade Unionists included Addie Wyatt, UFCW [1].
Supporting Harold Washington
Several Black labor leaders were important allies for Harold Washington in the run up to his 1983 election as Mayor of Chicago..
One was Charles Hayes, vice president of the United Packinghouse Workers Union, who won Washington’s Congressional seat after Washington was elected mayor.
Other important allies included Addie Wyatt, who was vice president of the Packinghouse Workers and Jim Wright, who was the first Black director of United Auto Workers Region 4. Jackie Vaughn, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union was also instrumental in Washington’s administration. All were leading members of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists[2].
Harold Washington for Mayor of Chicago
Circa late 1982, members of the Citizens Committee/Harold Washington for Mayor of Chicago (in formation) included Addie Wyatt.[3]
Interfaith Worker Justice
Interfaith Worker Justice was founded in 1996 with the mission of "engaging the religious community in low-wage worker campaigns and rebuilding partnerships with the labor movement."
Kim Bobo, IWJ Executive Director, founded the organization using her bedroom as an office and a $5,000 bequest left to her by her grandmother as the initial budget. Despite these humble origins, she had mighty helpers as part of her original Board of Directors. This founding group included Rabbi Robert Marx, Bishop Jesse DeWitt, Monsignor George Higgins, Monsignor Jack Egan, Rev. James Lawson, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Rev. Michael Rouse, Rev. Addie Wyatt, Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, Monsignor Phil Murnion, Rev. Wayne Stumme, Bishop James Malone, Sr. Nancy Sylvester, Rev. Jim Sessions, Ms. Evely Laser-Shlensky, Mr. Thomas Shellabarger and Mr. J. Chris Sanders.
- In just eleven years, IWJ has organized a national network of more than 70 interfaith committees, workers' centers and student groups, making it the leading national organization working to strengthen the religious community's involvement in issues of workplace justice.[4]
References
- ↑ http://www.cbtu.org/founders.html
- ↑ http://communistpartyillinois.blogspot.com/2008/02/harold-washington-wore-union-label.html
- ↑ Undated circa late 1982, HWAC Mayoral Campaign Records, Box 5, Folder 1
- ↑ http://www.iwj.org/template/page.cfm?id=93