Tyrone Freeman began his career in the labor movement more than fifteen years ago. At the age of 21, he led organizing drives in the South where the political culture for a young African American activist demanded creative organizing. His leadership earned him the role of Executive Director of SEIU Local 1985 in Atlanta in 1994. In 1996, he was elected to the International Executive Board - making him the youngest leader in the 90-year history of Service Employees International Union. In 2000, Freeman was elected Vice-President of SEIU International.

After arriving in Los Angeles in 1999, Freeman was elected to the position of President for one of the largest and newest locals in the country, SEIU Local 434B. In 2006 with the reorganization of SEIU's Local structure in California, Freeman was appointed President of the new SEIU Local 6434 - the United Long-Term Care Workers' Union. Freeman also serves as President of California United Homecare Workers - a joint venture between SEIU and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In all, Freeman represents nearly 200,000 California long-term care workers.

As President of one of the largest local unions in the country, Freeman is transforming Labor in California with his tireless commitment to leading the fight for livable wages, affordable housing and health care for all.

In 2003 Freeman created the Long-Term Care Housing Trust Corporation, with the mission of making the dream of home ownership a reality for union families. In August of 2005, the first two homes in the City of Compton were completed.

Freeman's firm belief in providing workers with ongoing education and career advancement opportunities led to the establishment of a non-profit training center
for the community in 2001: The Homecare Workers Training Center. The Center serves as a healthcare ladder, offering training to become a: Certified Nurse
Assistant (CNA), Licensed Vocational Nurse, (LVN) and Registered Nurse (RN). It offers computer classes for English- and Spanish- speaking members, basic skills training, as well as First Aid/CPR and the In-Home Supportive Services Series.

In 2007, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Chapter of the SCLC, he gathered a large group of civic and coalition leaders who pledged to support the re-launch of the Poor People's Campaign (started by Martin Luther King, Jr.).

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology, Allegheny College of Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania

OFFICES HELD

President, Service Employees International Union, Local 6434, United Long-Term Care Workers' Union (150,000 members)

President, California United Homecare Workers (CUHW) SEIU/AFSCME (40,000 members)

Past President, Service Employees International Union, Local 434b

International Vice President, Service Employees International Union, Washington DC

Chair, Homecare Workers Training Center

Board Member, Prison Industry Board

Commissioner, Los Angeles City Fire Commission

Chair, SCLC Los Angeles Chapter

Vice President, LA County Federation of Labor

Board Member, IFES - International Foundation of Electoral Systems

Panel Member, Employment Training Panel

AWARDS AND HONORS

2006, UCLA Labor Center Award

2006, Jewish Labor Committee Award

2004, LAUSD, Friend of Career Education Award

2003, The John F. Kennedy "Profiles in Courage" Award (LA County Democratic Party)

2003, Southern Christian Leadership Conference - Drum Major Award

2001, Community Coalition Award for his extraordinary accomplishments in Labor and Community building

2001, Brotherhood Crusade Award for Black Leadership

1996, Time Magazine honored him by featuring him as a leader that is revitalizing the American Labor Movement

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Cyprus, 1996-97; India, 2003 ; England, 2005; China, 2005; South Africa, 2001; Vietnam, 2004; Indonesia, 2005; Haiti, 2006

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."- James Thurber