GLWIB Member Profile

Elaine Fox
Title: Workforce Development Coordinator
Organization: AFL-CIO
Website: www.massaflcio.org/

About Member

Elaine has worked in Workforce Development for over 19 years. She began her career in Lowell at the Career Center. She was recruited to work for the Industrial Services Program now the Commonwealth Corporation, to become the Lowell Regional Rapid Response Specialist for their Rapid Response division. She served in this position at the Career Center of Lowell for three years. Elaine then moved on to the Charlestown, MA offices for Commonwealth Corporation where she managed various projects for 11 years.

Elaine joined the AFL-CIO five years ago as their Workforce Development Coordinator, doing similar work as she has done her whole career, primarily with Labor Union workers. She works with employers and their unions to develop labor management partnerships. She meets monthly with partnerships in Massachusetts to maintain relationships and to keep progress moving forward.

Elaine sits on several committees and boards in Massachusetts. She sits on the ESOL Sub-Committee of the MA Workforce Investment Board of which she is also a member. Elaine is on the Governor’s Sector Strategies  and Youth Initiatives Sub-Committees. She also works very closely with the MA Worker’s Education Roundtable, which promotes educational advancement to working families in Massachusetts. She has been a member of the Greater Lowell WIB for just over a year now.

Organization Description:

The Massachusetts branch of the American Federation of Labor was founded in 1887 and later charter by the National AFL-CIO in 1958. Today the AFL-CIO is the largest labor umbrella organization, representing more than 750 local unions and intermediate bodies, such as joint boards and district councils. They represent nearly 400,000 workers in Massachusetts covering all imaginable occupations. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to empower and support workers in their effort to promote justice, educate the public about the value of unions, and improve the economic stability and security of working families and communities throughout the Commonwealth. They achieve their mission through three departments; Education and Training, Political Education, and Legislative Action. They currently have nine people on staff.

Ongoing Projects

Elaine is currently working with several companies to help them prepare for potential funding to advance the education of their employees, in particularly English Language learning.

She has in the past helped companies and organizations receive grant funding to help train their workers. For instance, Elaine worked closely with the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association to receive a Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund grant to train participants in carpentry. The result was a few of those students were accepted into the Carpenter’s Union.

If you are interested in partnering with the AFL-CIO, please email Elaine Fox at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it