Jefferson County Labor Club welcomes the Labor Tribune’s Sheri Gassaway as its first female officer

For the first time in its 35-year history, the Jefferson County Labor Club will have a female officer at the table as part of its executive board.

Sheri Gassaway, editor of the Labor Tribune’s Women of Labor section, was nominated recording secretary of the club at its February board meeting. Gassaway is a member of the United Media Guild Local 36047, an affiliate union of CWA Local 6300.

Club President Chuck DeMoulin, an IBEW Local 1 business representative, nominated Gassaway for the position. She will be sworn in at the March 8 Labor club meeting and will serve a two-year term.

“Sheri has been an active member of this club for years,” DeMoulin said. “She attends all of our meetings and always volunteers for our fundraising and political action events. She’s the club’s first female officer and hopefully, the first of many female officers moving forward.”

Gassaway began covering the club’s general membership meetings for the Labor Tribune seven years ago. She has served as a member of the club’s executive board since January 2017.

‘HONORED TO BE NOMINATED’
“I am so honored to be nominated for this position,” Gassaway said. “Being a part of this Labor Club has been an absolute pleasure, and I have made many dear friends along the way. Many thanks to outgoing Recording Secretary Tom Leonard for his hard work over the years and to Club President Chuck DeMoulin for his vote of confidence.”

Gassaway is an award-winning Labor journalist with more than 30 years of multimedia and public relations experience. She joined the Labor Tribune in March 2014 as a correspondent and immediately became a strong ally in the St. Louis-area Labor Movement.

In 2015, she developed and launched the Labor Tribune’s Women of Labor section showcasing the area’s female union members and their important work in the community. She has also served on the executive boards of Missouri Women in Trades and the St. Louis Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women in recent years.

“Sheri has proven to be a vital voice for the area Labor Movement, showcasing the growing participation and achievements of women in our area’s unions,” said the Labor Tribune’s Managing Editor Tim Rowden. “Her talent and hard work have helped the Labor Tribune more fully represent the diversity of our local Labor Movement. The Jefferson County Labor Club will be well-served having her in a leadership role.”

Gassaway is the second woman to serve as an officer of a St. Louis-area Labor Club. Aurora Bihler, an Iron Workers Local 396 journeywoman and a member of the union’s Examining Committee, is recording secretary for the St. Louis City Labor Club.

In addition to Gassaway being nominated recording secretary of the club, DeMoulin again was nominated as president, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 Business Representative Brian Chumley was nominated as vice president and St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council’s Steve Markus was nominated treasurer.

ABOUT THE LABOR CLUB
Founded in 1986, the Jefferson County Labor Club is a political action committee dedicated to promoting workers’ rights and electing Labor-friendly candidates. The organization also provides financial assistance to several charitable organizations in Jefferson County and its members frequently lend a hand by volunteering their quality skills on projects in the community.

Normally, the Labor Club’s executive board meets at 6 p.m. and holds a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. However, general membership meetings, which are open to the public, have been canceled for the time being due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page at facebook.com/jeffersoncountylaborclub.