Cox elected AFGE national president

Federal Drive

Cox elected AFGE national president

At their National Convention, members of the American Federation of Government Employees elected a trio of new officers: J. David Cox as national president, ...

Michael O'Connell@moconnellWFED

August 16, 2012 6:45 am

2 min read

The nation’s largest federal union will swear in a new national president Thursday.

The American Federation of Government Employees selected J. David Cox to fill the post during the union’s 39th National Convention in Las Vegas.

Cox replaces John Gage, who retired after serving as the union’s president since 2003.

Also to be sworn in Thursday are Eugene Hudson Jr., AFGE’s newly elected national secretary-treasurer, and August Thomas, who will again fill the post of national vice president for women’s and fair practices.

J.David Cox, new national president, American Federal of Government Empoyees (AFGE photo)

Cox most recently served back-to-back terms as secretary-treasurer, helping the union grow by more than 52,000 new members, including the nation’s airport screeners in the Transportation Security Administration. He also oversaw the expansion of AFGE’s legislative action fund and political action fund.

“The strength of unity is the only way we are going to fight back against the anti-government and anti-union forces that want to dismantle the vital programs and services federal employees provide each and every day to millions of Americans,” Cox said, in a statement released by the union. “I am honored and humbled that AFGE’s members chose me to lead this fight.”

President Barack Obama appointed Cox to the Federal Prevailing Wage Council and the Federal Salary Council, which advise the president on issues relating to pay and locality changes. Since 1993, he has served as the vice president of the North Carolina State AFL-CIO. He’s also a member of that union’s National Secretary- Treasurers Group and is chair of the Executive Committee of the Department for Professional Employees.

Before Cox was elected AFGE’s national secretary-treasurer, he was the first executive vice president for the union’s National Veterans Affairs Council for more than 11 years. He was also president of Local 1738 for 18 years.

Since 1999, Hudson has been the national vice president for the 12th District, which represents 100 AFGE locals in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.

Prior to being elected national vice president for women’s and fair practices in August 2009, Thomas was the fair practices coordinator in the union’s 6th District.

AFGE President John Gage to retire