We're Celebrating Black History! CWA Leader Profile: Ameenah Salaam

We're Celebrating Black History! CWA Leader Profile: Ameenah Salaam

Ameenah’s Union career began in 1992 as a Local Union Steward for CWA Local 13100, while working as a service representative for Verizon (formerly Diamond State Telephone). In 1996, she served as the CWA Training Liaison, a Union advocate for continuing education. She transitioned to CWA Staff Representative for District 13 in September 1997. In August 2013 she relocated to Sacramento, CA where she was appointed as Area Director in December 2013. As a Staff Representative and Area Director, Ameenah galvanized members to fight for workplace rights and protections in numerous campaigns, including a successful “Save Our Call Center-Keep Hometown Jobs'' campaign for an AT&T Call Center scheduled to close in Pittsburgh by with the help of Governor Rendell, Mayor O’Connor and the Allegheny Labor Council President Shea. In Districts 9 &13, Ameenah was the Mobilization coordinator for ALL mobilization activities including contract expiration mobilization, Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), Verizon/Verizon Business “Tear Down the Wall”, Speed Matters, Stewards Army, Cingular and the support of USW in the Goodyear Strike. She utilized the CWA organizing model to organize over 400 Comcast call center workers under the AT&T Neutrality and Card Check agreement. In District 9, Ameenah helped activate and encourage diverse leadership through her work on the National Women’s Committee, the National Civil Rights and Equity Committee and through the Next Generation program. Her dedication to racial inclusion in the Union also led her to served as a mentor for District Minority Leadership Institute (MLI) Candidates. Ameenah is also member of Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW).

In June 2015, she was promoted to Assistant to the Vice President for District 9 Vice President Tom Runnion. Shortly after, she was tapped to become the Assistant to CWA President Chris Shelton, in Washington, DC.

Ameenah has proven herself a tireless and talented leader starting from her early days as a steward, to local officer and staff rep, to Area Director, Assistant to a Vice President and now the first Black woman to serve as Assistant to the CWA President. She has played critical leading roles in a variety of organizing, bargaining, and other mobilization efforts, mentoring staff and pushing the Union's core mission forward. Ameenah is taking charge of a wide array of issues in the President’s Office, including union governance matters, such as the Convention and Presidents’ Meeting, staffing issues, overseeing internal and external communications, health and safety, human rights, education and more.

During Black History Month, CWA District 9 will profile CWA leaders. We salute and thank Assistant to the President Salaam for her years of service to CWA members and the labor movement!