Willie L. Baker, Jr.

Prior to Willie Baker’s retirement, in 2006, as International Vice President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), Willie’s labor career span over forty years. He began his labor activism as a member of UFCW Local 56, while working at the P.J. Ritter Processing Plant in Bridgeton, New Jersey. As his exceptional organizational and communications skills emerged, he began a rapid ascension up the ladder of the UFCW structure. In 1974, he was appointed Assistant Business Agent of Local 56.

Three years later, jurisdiction of South Jersey canneries was entrusted to him. By 1980, he was Vice President of the local, and in 1985 he was elected UFCW International Union Vice President and appointed Director of the UFCW Civil Rights Department.

In 1989, he was appointed Director of the UFCW Public Affairs Department, and within a decade was Director of Southern Region 3, that consisted of Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; and later Mid-Atlantic Region 2 consisting of Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.

Willie Baker was elected Executive Vice President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionist (CBTU) in 1990 and served in that position for over two decades until he stepped down in 2006. He currently serves on the CBTU National Executive Board as Executive Vice President Emeritus. Willie is also a member of the UFCW Minority Coalition and served as Chair of the Labor Round Table of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Willie is a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

In October 1991 Willie was part of the Democracy Now Tour of South Africa. Meeting with the freed leader of the ANC, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and other leaders of South Africa.

Willie Baker served as an International Observer in the first multiparty elections in Kenya in 1992.

In early 90’s Willie Baker served as a delegate to Brazil, meeting with labor, community and government officials to improve the conditions of both working and social conditions of Afro Brazilians.

Willie Baker also served as a delegation to the Caribbean Islands to help small Banana growers in their efforts to maintain their European markets.

In October 2015 Willie Baker was a part of a fact-finding mission to Columbia, visiting Cali, Palmira, Quibdo and Bogota; where he and others in the delegation, including Atlanta Congressman Hank Johnson; where they met with Afro Columbians and Indigenous People to discuss the assassinations, land grabs, intimidation and forced exits from their homes.

In March of 2017 Willie returned to Bogota with another fact-finding mission, including Atlanta Congressman, Hank Johnson. On this mission, they met with the negotiators of the Peace Agreement to push the Columbian Government to honor the comittments they made in the Peace Agreement.

Willie is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore and served as President of the National Alumni Association in the late eighties. He continues to be active in the University of Maryland National Alumni Association.

Willie Baker has committed a lifetime of energy and passion, fighting for worker’s rights, human rights, and a more just social and economic society both domestically and internationally.

He continues to be active in the fight for worker’s rights and his community.