UAW REGION 1A ELECTED DELEGATES PICK LAURA DICKERSON AS REGIONAL DIRECTOR

History Made As First African American Women Elected UAW Regional Director

DETROIT – Standing before elected delegates from Region 1A local unions, Laura Dickerson made history Friday when she was elected UAW Region 1A Regional Director, the first African American woman to serve as head of a UAW Region.

“It is humbling and an honor to stand here representing all Region 1A members and their families,” said Dickerson who started in 1997 as a member of UAW Local 600. Dickerson has a long background of service having been the elected Chairperson of her unit, and as the project manager for the transition to the Staff VEBA. “Our focus will always be on serving our members, local unions and our retirees,” said Dickerson.

Dickerson replaces Chuck Browning who was elected Vice President and assigned the UAW Ford and TOP Departments in June. She previously was the first African-American woman in the history of the UAW to be promoted to Assistant Regional Director. “Laura Dickerson brings to the Region a focus on the core values of service to our members, their families and communities, as well as, a strong knowledge of bargaining and interpreting collective Bargaining contracts,” said Browning.

Dickerson has been a Delegate to the 34th and 35th UAW Constitutional Convention, served as President of the UAW Local 600 TOP Advisory Council and the UAW National CAP Advisory Council and on the 2011 UAW Ford National Negotiations Team. She served as the UAW Staff Council Vice President and as the UAW-Ford Enhanced Care Program Pilot Lead in 2012.

“Director Dickerson brings to the International Executive Board a broad background from our TOP sector and experience in bargaining, health care, retiree benefits and our CAP political Action program,” said UAW President Ray Curry. “She is a dedicated trade unionist with a solid background of member service and I can’t be more proud to welcome her to the IEB.”

Dickerson has a Bachelors and Masters Degree from Central Michigan University.. The Michigan Chronicle awarded her with a Women of Excellence Award in 2021. She is a regular volunteer in the Detroit Central United Methodist Feed the Homeless Initiative and as a breast cancer survivor herself a participant in the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure.” She resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan.