Pulling Strings
Amy Dean
While still in her 20s, Aimee Dean crafted a political strategy to build labor strength in a valley whose manufacturing workforce viewed unions as rust bucket relics. By 30, she had taken over the South Bay Labor Council, and not long thereafter, the San Jose City Council via elected proxies. Benefiting from millions raised through a 501c3, labor allies still control a council that must now weigh the high cost of public employee salaries. Cindy Chavez now runs the union group, while Dean moved to Chicago.
