Women’s History Month: Honoring Addie Wyatt

During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the women whose courage and leadership helped build stronger workplaces and stronger unions. One of those leaders is Addie Wyatt, a meatpacking worker who rose through the ranks of the labor movement to become the first Black woman to serve as an International Vice President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

Her journey from the plant floor to international union leadership is a powerful reminder that the labor movement has always been driven by workers who refused to accept injustice.

From Meatpacking Worker to Union Leader

Addie Wyatt began her career working in the meatpacking industry in Chicago. Like many workers of her generation, she faced difficult working conditions and limited opportunities. But through her involvement in the union, she discovered the power of collective action.

Wyatt became an active member of United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA) Local 56, one of the unions that would eventually become part of today’s UFCW.

Her leadership skills quickly became clear. Wyatt helped organize workers, advocated for fair treatment on the job, and fought for better wages and working conditions. Her commitment to both workers’ rights and civil rights helped her become a respected voice within the labor movement.

Breaking Barriers in the Labor Movement

In a time when both the labor movement and society were still grappling with racial and gender inequality, Addie Wyatt shattered barriers.

She became the first Black woman to serve as an International Vice President of the UFCW, paving the way for more women and people of color to step into leadership roles within the labor movement.

Wyatt believed strongly that the fight for workers’ rights was inseparable from the fight for civil rights. She worked alongside leaders in both movements, helping build bridges between labor unions and the broader struggle for justice and equality.

A Legacy of Justice and Solidarity

Throughout her life, Addie Wyatt remained a tireless advocate for workers, women, and civil rights. Alongside her husband, Reverend Claude Wyatt, she helped found organizations dedicated to advancing economic and racial justice.

Her leadership left a lasting mark not only on the labor movement but on our UFCW family itself.

Today, her story reminds us that unions are strongest when we lift up new leaders and ensure that every worker has a voice.

Celebrating Women Who Built Our Union

During Women’s History Month, we honor Addie Wyatt and the countless women who helped build the labor movement and the UFCW.

Their courage continues to inspire the work we do every day—to organize, to advocate, and to build a better future for working people.