Public Employee Press

Immigrant group lauds Uddin and Williams

An immigrant community group has honored DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin and DC 37 Political Action Director Wanda Williams.

The New American Democratic Club honored the DC 37 leaders before 400 participants at its 11th annual conference, reception and dinner at the Taj Mahal Party Center in Jamaica, Queens, on Oct. 18. The founder and president of the group is Morshed Alam, a Local 375 member.

The club lauded Uddin, who is also president of Local 1407, as “a New American labor leader,” and City Council member David Weprin gave the honorees a recognition plaque. The award noted that Uddin is the first Bangladeshi to lead a municipal union in the United States, describing him as a pioneer in bringing new Americans into mainstream politics. Uddin is a vice president of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance of the AFL-CIO.

The club presented Williams with an award in honor of her tireless work as the leader of the union’s Political Action and Legislation Dept. Many of the union’s activists are immigrants, and the union has a long tradition of including immigrant rights in its political agenda.

Congress members Anthony D. Weiner and Gregory Meeks were the featured speakers and State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith joined club members and guests at the dinner.