AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka dies at 72

Veteran union leader championed anti-racist activism

AFL-CIO Richard Trumka. (AFP via Getty Images)

The president of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of trade unions in the US, has died at the age of 72.

Richard Trumka, whose career working for unions spanned several decades, died on Thursday. Politico reported that the cause of death was believed to be a heart attack.

Mr Trumka championed numerous progressive and labour-related causes over the years, but most notably won a human rights award from the Institute for Policy Studies for his support of striking mine workers in South Africa, who at the time were battling the country’s racist apartheid system.

He also stepped into the national spotlight in 2008 with a speech from the main stage of the Democratic National Convention in support of then-candidate Barack Obama and against what he said were racist forces working against Mr Obama’s campaign.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer memorialised Mr Trumka minutes after the news broke on the US Senate floor.

“He had in his veins, in every atom of his body, the heart, the thoughts, the needs of the working people of America”, said Mr Schumer. “He was them. Rich Trumka was the working people of America.”

“Richard Trumka was someone who the president considered a friend”, White House press secretary Jen Psaki added, while not ruling out the possibility of President Joe Biden attending his memorial service.

The largest union of federal workers also mourned his death in a news release.

“Richard Trumka was an inspirational labor leader and a friend to workers everywhere – but he was a special friend to federal and DC government workers,” said Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees.

“Through every major fight our union has waged in recent decades, Richard Trumka was standing beside AFGE members, defiantly raising his fist in solidarity. During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, he rallied all of labor to the steps of the White House to stand up for the 800,000 government workers who went weeks without a paycheck. And behind the scenes, he worked tirelessly to help us end a political standoff that was hurting working people,” added Mr Kelley.