[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1139-E1140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING JUDY GOFF

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2005

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraodinary career 
and achievements of Judy Goff of Alameda, California. Judy has been a 
dynamic and innovative leader in the labor community for more than 30 
years, and today receives the Central Labor Council (CLC) of Alameda 
County, AFL-CIO's Lifetime Achievement Award as Unionist of the Year.
  Judy is currently the Executive Secretary Treasurer Emeritus of the 
CLC of Alameda County, AFL-CIO, representing 135 unions and over 
126,000 working families. She is known not only for her historic policy 
reforms in favor of immigrants' and workers' rights, but

[[Page E1140]]

has also made a tremendous impact within and outside of the labor 
community as the fIrst woman in California's history to hold many of 
the executive positions in which she has served held throughout her 
career.
  Judy is a graduate of Holy Names College in Oakland, where she earned 
a degree in psychology. She is a former Alameda County social worker, 
and has worked with the General Assistance Program, providing 
assistance to single adults with substance dependency problems, and 
also with the Children's Protective Services Program.
  Judy's labor career began when she joined the Service Employees 
International Union (SEIU) Local 535 in 1972. She first ran for union 
office in 1973, becoming a member of the Alameda County Chapter 
Executive Board, a Delegate to the statewide Executive Board, and a 
Delegate to the Central Labor Council of Alameda County.
  In 1976, Judy made history by becoming the first woman elected as 
statewide president of SEIU Local 535. In that capacity she worked 
tirelessly to defend the rights of those in need, testifying before 
Congress as well as the California State Legislature on welfare reform, 
and advocating for increases in funding for programs that served youth, 
the disabled, and older adults.
  In another historic moment, Judy was elected as president of the 
Central Labor Council of Alameda County, AFL-CIO in 1983, making her 
the fIrst woman to serve in that position within any major labor 
council in California history. Under her leadership, the CLC introduced 
a resolution to the national AFL-CIO calling for major policy reforms 
on immigration and workers' rights. Additionally, as part of the Labor 
Immigrant Organizing Network, she worked to bring together union 
organizers and community groups to advocate for immigrant rights. 
During her tenure, the Central Labor Council was also successful in 
working to pass living wage ordinances in the cities of Berkeley, 
Oakland and Hayward, as well as at the Port of Oakland.
  During the past three decades, Judy's leadership on labor issues has 
also expanded to include a number of academic and community 
organizations. She is a member of the California State Assembly 
Speaker's Commission on Labor Education, and serves as a member of 
various labor-related advisory committees at San Francisco State 
University, Laney College and U.C. Berkeley. Judy serves on the board 
of the Bay Area Economic Forum and the steering committee of the Bay 
Dredging Action Coalition, and is a member of the Coalition on Labor 
Union Women AFL-CIO.
  On June 10, 2005, friends and members of the labor community will 
gather to honor the contributions that Judy Goff has made to the 
circumstances of working people in Alameda County and throughout the 
State of California. Throughout the past three decades, Judy's work has 
consistently served to support workers' rights, diversity, fairness, 
and economic and social justice. The result has not only been a 
consistent improvement in the lives of working people in Alameda 
County, but an improvement in the quality of life for all people 
throughout the Easy Bay. On behalf of the 9th Congressional District, I 
salute Judy Goff for her immeasurable contributions to our community, 
and thank her for fighting to protect the rights of workers of 
generations past, present and future.

                          ____________________