Christine Trujillo, a 20-year veteran of classroom teaching, has been elected as the new state AFL-CIO president. The executive board of the New Mexico Federation of Labor elected her Tuesday.

She succeeded Joe Chavez as head of the federation of 202 local union affiliates scattered across New Mexico. The federation represents 30,000 AFL-CIO members in public and private jobs.

Trujillo, a member of the state Board of Education, also is president of the New Mexico Federation of Educational Employees and leads the school employees' lobbying team.

The workers' advocates                                   from the Albuquerque Tribune
March, 2002  
New Mexico's labor union leaders say they strive to provide support to laborers and to an information medium for the public - read article

Trujillo Elected President of New Mexico AFL-CIO
March, 2002                                                 from AFT's On Campus

As president of the state AFL-CIO, Trujillo will lead a federation of 202 local union affiliates scattered across New Mexico with 30,000 AFL-CIO members employed in all public an private job categories.

Trujillo previously served as political action and legislative issues vice president of the AFT affiliate in New Mexico and led the organization's 2000 general elections campaign. During the 2001 session of the Legislature, she helped persuade legislators to pass one of the largest public school employee salary increases in recent history. 

The new AFL-CIO state federation president also worked closely with the Legislature and its Education Initiatives and Accountability Task Force to reform New Mexico's public schools.