Erie native tabbed to lead state AFL-CIO after president-elect retires amid investigation

Erie native Angela Ferritto was elected in March to be the new secretary/treasurer of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, but instead she is the state labor organization's first female president.

Ferritto, 43, replaced President-elect Frank Snyder just days before he was scheduled to assume office. Snyder, who previously served as secretary/treasurer, had been the subject of a misconduct investigation that ended with his retirement in May.

"Certainly we are going to sit down and look at our procedures and policies that are in place, and make sure they are strong ... so people can feel comfortable in the workplace," Ferritto said.

In addition to keeping workers safe, Ferritto said she will focus as president on core union issues, including fair wages and secure retirements.

It's a job that Ferritto said she has been working toward most of her adult life. Her parents were both union members, as were two of her siblings. Her father, Tony Ferritto, was a longtime recording secretary for United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 506.

"One of the biggest lessons I learned growing up was that we are not alone in this world," Ferritto said. "With each other, we have strength. I learned that at a young age."

Ferritto initially joined AFSCME Local 2594 in 2007 after she was hired as a taxpayer assistant technician at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue's Erie office. A year later, she was elected president of the local.

She also has worked in the past with the Erie-Crawford Central Labor Council.

"Angela brings a lot of experience to the job and she is good at working with people," said Jack Lee, labor council president. "I know she has big shoes to fill and a lot of work ahead of her, traveling across the state from Erie to Philadelphia, but I'm sure we will get good attention up here."

Ferritto has served as a member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 13 since 2010. She worked as an organizer, and as part of the Harrisburg-based council's grievance & arbitration, and resources & education teams.

Snyder, a Beaver County resident, and Ferritto ran as a team for president and secretary/treasurer after then-President Richard Bloomingdale announced his retirement.

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But Snyder announced his retirement May 25, amid an AFL-CIO investigation into his conduct. Bloomberg News reported in April that more than a dozen current and former AFL-CIO staffers said they witnessed Snyder subjecting staffers — especially women — to humiliation, bullying and degrading language.

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"Angela Ferritto is the absolute right person to lead the PA AFL-CIO through this period of growth and evolution," said Liz Shuler, president of the national AFL-CIO.

"I am proud to be the first woman president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO," said Ferritto, who will serve a two-year term. "I work with many powerful women and I'm ready to be leading the charge for 700,000 members, many of whom are women."

The state AFL-CIO represents workers from 51 international unions, and 1,422 local labor organizations in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie native Angela Ferritto named new PA AFL-CIO president