Brackett Named New NH AFL-CIO President

The national AFL-CIO has awarded the leadership position of the state labor organization after voting irregularities last month at the annual AFL-CIO convention that disqualified more than 700 ballots and left the election with a 21-vote spread.

Glenn Brackett, the business manager for IBEW Local 2320 that recently led a strike against FairPoint Communications last year, will become the organization’s new president on July 1, 2015.

Brackett said he was “humbled and honored to be elected” and said now, more than ever, the state needed a strong, vibrant labor movement.

“Outgoing President Mark MacKenzie leaves some big shoes to fill, and I will work tirelessly to uphold the values he has championed for three decades as a leader of the labor movement,” he noted. “Working men and women in the Granite State face some incredible challenges, and I am looking forward to tackling those challenges head-on. As President of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO, my top priority will be to find innovative ways to create more good middle class jobs for New Hampshire workers. By working collaboratively with business and community leaders, elected officials of both parties, and the working men and women who want to create a better life for their families, I am confident that the New Hampshire AFL-CIO and the labor movement as a whole will grow, prosper, and contribute to a vibrant economy and society.”

MacKenzie, who had been the president since 1989, and served as a firefighter in Manchester for 25 years, said he was “deeply grateful” for the opportunity to serve with other working men and women in the state for so many years.

“I called Glenn to congratulate him, and wish him all the best,” he said. “Leading the New Hampshire AFL-CIO has been a wonderful experience, and I want to thank all the people who have assisted and supported me along the way. I am tremendously proud of everything we accomplished during my time with the New Hampshire AFL-CIO, and of all workers and leaders who contributed to our victories and who kept fighting when we faced setbacks and renewed attacks on workers’ rights.”

MacKenzie said he was looking forward to finding “new ways to engage” after more than four decades actively participating in the labor movement.

Brackett, who grew up in Gorham, lives in Northwood with his family, and said he would pledge every day to improve the lives of workers in the state.