AFSCME’s Saunders: Alexis Herman was a trailblazer in every sense of the word
WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in memory of Alexis Herman, the U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton and the first African American to hold the position:
“Alexis Herman was a trailblazer in every sense of the word, from her earliest days as a student overcoming segregation in Alabama to her historic tenure as the first African American to lead the U.S. Department of Labor. She believed deeply in labor rights as human rights. Her leadership as Secretary of Labor opened the door to higher wages and safer working conditions for millions of people across America and around the world. Secretary Herman’s belief in public service as a fundamental good is shared by all 1.4 million members of the AFSCME family, and today we join the entire labor movement in mourning her loss.”