Recent Press

Charleston, W.Va. - At their annual convention, which ended thursday, West Virginia AFL-CIO delegates re-elected Kenneth Perdue as president and elected Josh Sword as secretary-treasurer, both for four years.

Perdue, a sheet metal worker, was elected to his third term. Sword, a former political director for the American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia, was appointed as secretary-treasurer earlier this year. Both were elected by acclamation.

Charleston, W.Va. - Across the country and here in West Virginia, thousands of people turned out over the weekend in support of Wisconsin public employees. Minority Democrats in the state Senate there are trying to stop a bill that already passed the Assembly and would take away most collective bargaining rights. Union officials here say that bill is part of an ugly pattern.

West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue says that the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs and the economic problems that started on Wall Street make it easy for some people to demonize the unions.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Organized labor will pay tribute to retiring U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller Friday. The West Virginia AFL-CIO will present Rockefeller with a Lifetime Achievement award during a special convention to prepare for election season.

“We’ve been fortunate to have had friends like Senator Rockefeller,” said West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue. “He’s given so much, not only to labor, but to the state of West Virginia we just want to say,’Thank-you.'”

Kenny Perdue was re-elected to serve a third, four-year term as the president of the West Virginia AFL-CIO at the group's convention in Charleston recently.

The WV AFL-CIO, formed in 1957, is the state's largest labor organization with 575 affiliated unions and nearly 80,000 members. The organization spearheads much of the political and ideological agenda for the labor movement in West Virginia.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue released the following statement in regards to the death of Marshall University President Stephen Kopp:

“With the passing of President Kopp, Marshall University lost one of the most dedicated Presidents and public servants in the history of the school.  Since his first day on campus in Huntington, Dr. Kopp proved to be a true friend of labor and working families, and for that I am grateful.  Dr. Kopp was an academic leader and a true leader in West Virginia. Today I, along with all of the West Virginia AFL-CIO, send my condolences to Dr. Kopp’s wife Jane, his children Adam and Liz, Marshall University, and the entire Huntington community. ”