Chuck Rocha

n 1998, Chuck was appointed the National Political Director of the United Steelworkers, America’s largest industrial union. He was one of the youngest people (and at the time, the only Latino) to serve as the National Political Director of a major U.S. labor union. Chuck led a political department known for youth, innovation and dramatic results. He grew the Steelworkers’ Activist Corps to a disciplined operation made up of nearly 12,000 volunteers and 435 full-time organizers. Mr. Rocha’s leadership has perfected the Steelworkers’ political operation by blending traditional grass-roots, membership-based organizing with state-of-the-art technology and communications with great success. In 2008, members of the USW supported Barack Obama for President by an overwhelming 72%, compared to 32% support from non-union members of the same demographic. Chuck also served as National Labor Director for Dick Gephardt and John Edwards during the 2004/2008 presidential election cycles. He is a graduate of the Harvard University Trade Union program, and currently serves on the executive boards of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the National Young Democrats, and LCLAA. The Blue Green Alliance is a national partnership of labor and environmental organizations dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the green economy. With partners including the USW, Sierra Club, CWA, NRDC, LIUNA, SEIU, UWUA, ATU, and the SMWIA, the Blue Green Alliance unites more than eight and a half million people in the pursuit of good jobs, a clean environment and a green economy.