Lillian Roberts Becomes AFSCME International Vice President

by Clyde Weiss  |  July 07, 2011

Lillian Roberts

Lillian Roberts, executive director of New York City’s largest public employee union, AFSCME District Council 37, was sworn in June 22 as an AFSCME International vice president (IVP).

Roberts took the oath during a meeting of AFSCME’s International Executive Board, which determines the union’s policies and procedures. In January, Roberts was overwhelmingly re-elected for a fourth term as DC 37’s executive director. The union’s membership elected her to the IVP post.

Although Roberts is a legend of the New York City labor movement, she began her career with AFSCME in Illinois. As a nurse’s aide in 1959, she joined AFSCME’s Illinois State Employees District Council 34, becoming a shop steward and officer.

As her list of accomplishments grew, so too did her status. At AFSCME’s 1964 International Convention, the Illinois delegation elected her AFSCME’s first African-American woman International vice president – a position she voluntarily left to become a special representative to New York’s DC 37, where she helped organize the city’s hospital workers.

In 2002, Roberts was elected executive director of DC 37 – its first female executive director. She was re-elected to three-year terms in 2004, 2007 and 2010. Read more about Roberts here.