Cindy Chavez likely to replace Ellis-Lamkins as South Bay Labor Council leader

The South Bay AFL–CIO Labor Council said Tuesday that Executive Officer Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins has resigned and will likely be replaced by former San Jose City Councilmember and Vice-Mayor Cindy Chavez.

Ellis-Lamkins, who leaves to lead Green For All, took the helm of the Labor Council and its sister organization, Working Partnerships USA, in 2003.

Green For All, based in Oakland and Washington, advocates the development of environmental businesses as a way to help provide jobs that can lift people out of poverty. Ellis-Lamkins said Tuesday morning that she will continue to live in San Jose as she settles into her new job.

The union said that during her tenure two expansions of San Jose’s living wage policy and new worker training standards went into effect at Mineta San Jose International Airport, there was broad expansion of health care access locally and throughout California, Team San Jose was created to manage the San Jose Convention Center, and a national network of urban policy incubators was founded.

"Phaedra's leadership has gone far beyond the immediate needs of working people," said Congressman Mike Honda. "She has been an advocate for Silicon Valley, a catalyst for change. She is progressive and future minded, supporting high standards of employment and focusing on public involvement in decision-making. Her impact on our community will be felt in the issues of the environment, public health, and good governance."

Ellis-Lamkins was named one of the top "40 under 40" businesspeople by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.

Chavez's appointment is pending a vote of the delegate body of unions affiliated with the labor council. She most recently ran a consulting firm for non-profit organizations, a job she took after an unsuccessful run for mayor which she lost to Chuck Reed.