Kudos to Arizona Union Leader

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/09/29/kudos-to-arizona-union-leader/

by Mike Hall, Sep 29, 2007


Rebekah Friend, executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO, was named one of the state’s Leaders of the Year in Public Policy by the Arizona Capitol Times, the influential, insiders’ newspaper that has been covering Arizona government, politics and legislation since 1946.



The paper says Friend and the other honorees are

…outstanding examples of leadership in the public policy arena. These individuals and organizations contribute a great deal to our community, making Arizona a better place to work and live.

Friend, a member of the Electrical Workers (IBEW), served as the state federation’s president from 2003 until being named executive director in January.

She was the chair person of the state’s Minimum Wage Coalition that successfully shepherded Prop. 202 from signature gathering to ballot and on to victory. The initiative raised the state’s minimum wage to $6.75 an hour with an annual cost of living adjustment. Even with a Republican majority in the state legislature, Friend developed legislation that won approval and improves the state’s unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation programs.