Andrea E. Brooks

Women's Director
American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO

The fight for fairness and working toward justice have been a way of life for Andrea E. Brooks, elected in 2000 as Women's Director of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). In fact, as a local activist in the 1970s she played a key role in the determination to first seat the Women's Director on the union's National Exective Council. Today, she not only leads the Women's Department but is also the Director of the union's Fair Practices Department.

Brooks began her government career at Ft. Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rising through the ranks of AFGE while working at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), Brooks saw the necessary role of the union from the start. After training several men at the DVA who went on to become her supervisors, she decided to become a steward with her AFGE Local to clear up "what's wrong with this picture."

Brooks was soon chief steward, then vice president, secretary-treasurer, executive vice president and then president for ten year of AFGE Local 490 at the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Los Angeles, California.

Her other AFGE credentials include serving as vice president of the AFGE National VA Council and 12th District Women's Coordinator. In 1986, she accepted the position of National Representative for the 12th District. Following her role as a national representative, Brooks was elected and served six years as AFGE's 12th District National Vice President, representing Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada.

Brooks' labor activism has always included collaboration with the AFL-CIO. She was voted Vice President of the California State AFL-CIO and helped to formulate the first federal sector subcommittee at the Los Angeles Central Labor Council.

As the Director of both the Women's and Fair Practices Departments, Brooks holds a vision for AFGE to move into the forefront of civil rights activisim. "I want AFGE to be known as the civil rights union," Brooks emphasizes. As part of its inherent mission, AFGE's view of civil rights includes all colors, national origins, genders, abilities and religion.

Brooks believes that too often minorities have let others define what a "minority right" is. She is looking to mobilize "a Civil Rights Movement" of all races and cultures.

Brooks has three adult children–two sons and one daughter–and is the proud grandmother of six grandchildren.