Linda Meric

Linda Meric, Executive Director9to5, National Association of Working WomenLMeric.personal@gmail.comRetired effective 05/31/2017, Linda Meric served as Executive Director of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, a multi-racial membership organization founded in 1973 to strengthen the ability of low-wage and low-income women to win economic justice through grassroots organizing and policy advocacy on workplace and safety net issues.Linda helped found 9to5 Colorado in 1996 and served as the chapters Director until the Fall of 2004 when she became 9to5s national Executive Director. Under Lindas leadership, 9to5 won important victories across the country on issues of work-family, anti-discrimination, wages, good jobs, unemployment, child and health care, public assistance and transit access.Linda was based in 9to5s Denver office and supported the 9to5 Colorado chapter on local organizing, policy, coalition-building and leadership development work. She was the chief public spokesperson for the successful 2006 ballot initiative to raise Colorados minimum wage and was a co-chair and chief spokesperson for Colorados successful effort to turn back a 2008 anti-affirmative action ballot measure.Linda is an accomplished trainer, and has taught Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Awareness and Prevention at Metropolitan State University for the past 15 years. She has trained thousands of women and men about what they can do at work and through the legal system if they experience sexual harassment, and has provided training and consulting services on sexual harassment, discrimination and other workplace issuesto dozens of non-profit organizations and businesses. Linda contributed to the 1999 revised edition of The 9to5 Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment, and co-authored three chapters in Women: Images and Realities, A Multicultural Anthology. She has served as an expert witness for the court on sexual harassment in employment.Linda is recognized by media and policymakers across the country as an expert spokesperson on issues related to women in the workplace, good jobs, work-family flexibility, equal opportunity, anti-poverty programs, sexual harassment, and organized labor. Her op-eds are frequently featured in the Huffington Post and other publications, and are available on 9to5s website at www.9to5.org. She has been a frequent guest on The Union Edge nationally syndicated radio show, and has been interviewed by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Congressional Quarterly, Fox News and many others. She is regularly asked to provide testimony to federal and state legislative and administrative bodies regarding these issues.Before 9to5, Linda spent 20 years as a labor and community organizer in Colorado. She served on the International Steering Committee of Teamsters for a Democratic Union and, in 1984, was the first woman elected as the Principle Executive Officer of a Teamsters local union in the Rocky Mountain region. Linda also spent 7 years as an organizer and representative for the Service Employees International Union, working primarily with women janitorial workers in downtown Denver, the Denver Tech Center and the Denverairports. In addition to her labor union organizing, Linda has a long history of community organizing experience in Colorado.Linda has a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Political Science from Duke University, and is fluent in English and Spanish. She completed the Rockwood Leadership Institutes Leading from the Inside Out yearlong fellowship in 2009, has received specialized training from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on employment discrimination, and has successfully completed the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) for Social & Behavioral Research Investigators.Linda has received several awards for her work with, and on behalf of, low-income women. In 2006, Linda was awarded the Denver Womens Commission first annual Community Service Award, the Colorado Womens Agenda Foremother Award, and the Community Resource Center Legend Award (Social Justice category). In 2007, she received the Womens Foundation of Colorado Be Bold Award. In 2009, she received the Gay &Lesbian Fund for Colorados Advancing Equality award. Linda was appointed by the Governor and Speaker of the House to serve two terms on the Colorado PayEquity Commission and also served on a number of committees and boards, including the Jobs With Justice National Workers Rights Board; One Fair Wage steering committee; Center for Community Change Putting Families First advisory council; Family Justice Network design team; Work Family Strategy Council; National Partnership for Women and Families paid sick days and family leave task forces; Colorado Unity equal opportunity coalition steering committee; and Colorado Department of Labor and Employment task forces on unemployment insurance, misclassification and workers compensation.Linda lives outside of Denver with her husband; she has an adult son, step-son, and four grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, basketball, reading, cooking and listening to jazz.