Interview with Sara Dorner, Sandra Patlan and Christine Magee.
Sara Dorner, a local labor representative for AFSCME Council 31, made history by being elected the first female president of Rockford United Labor. But she says women aren’t new to the picket line.
“We ve always been here, this is nothing new. We re just happy you re seeing us now,” said Dorner.
Rockford United Labor is one of the AFL-CIO’s 500 central labor committees and many of the labor unions across the Rockford region are a part of the organization. Dorner is coming off her two-year term as the vice president of the organization.
For the past two years, Dorner has served as vice president of Rockford United Labor.
Before returning to Rockford in 2014, she was a labor relations specialist for the Minnesota Nurses Association.
Rockford United Labor is one of 500 national central labor committees of the AFL-CIO. The organization is comprised of almost all labor unions in the Rockford area and is known for hosting the city’s annual Labor Day parade.
“As we navigate the pandemic and complicated economic issues in our state and city, the strength of labor unions is more critical than ever before,” Dorner said in a news release. “Workers are demanding a voice on the job, living wages and dignity.