Labor Leader of the Week: Anne Kurtek

Anne Kurtek has been a proud union member for over 40 years, starting her career with Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW), and has been organizing workers ever since. As of 2001, she has served as President of the Schuylkill County Central Labor Council (CLC) and is now a member of USW Local 719. Prior to that, she was the Recording Secretary for nearly a decade and a member of the Committee of Minority Affairs.

“I understand about negotiations and trying to work together coming from a family of 13,” Anne said, “we always had to negotiate on T.V. shows, who was in what bedroom, who received what slice of meat at the dinner table.  There is where I learned about seniority. You have to negotiate what is best for your fellow workers because united we bargain for a place at the table and divided, we beg.”

 Over the years, Anne organized several events like the one the council did on Thursday, August 20, 2020, where she had a ‘Save the Post Office Event’ at the Progress Avenue Losch Plaza, an office location for United States Representative Dan Meuser, who has been public about his opposition to funding the USPS. The PA AFL-CIO has endorsed opponent Gary Wegman.

“We were always taught when one is in trouble, we all are because it seems to have a trickledown effect,” Anne said. She sees Meuser as suppressing the voting rights of citizens with his actions against mail-in voting. “Voting by mail helps people who cannot get to the polling places. Additionally, many people receive medicine by mail, as do I, and it is especially difficult if you do not have transportation. I appreciate my Union Brothers and Sisters, who deliver our mail on time and with integrity.

Do You have a recommendation for Labor Leader of the Week? Contact Us!