At the end of the month, Laura Dickerson will replace Chuck Browning as Vice President and Director of the Ford Department.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) elected Dickerson, a three-decade union veteran and current director of Region 1A, positioning her to lead negotiations for Ford’s hourly workers in the fall of 2027.
According to the union, Dickerson becomes the first African American woman to hold the position. Notably, President Shawn Fain praised her as ‘tough,” “battle-tested,” and deeply rooted in the membership.
Browning, who has held the Ford division post since 2021, played a key role during last year’s 41-day Stand Up Strike, pushing for the elimination of wage tiers, cost-of-living adjustments, and pay increases. He will continue to lead negotiations with Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the union is seeking a first-ever contract.
Dickerson, who was re-elected as Region 1A director in 2022, represents an area that includes most of Wayne County and parts of Detroit, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties. The region also serves approximately 150,000 active and retired members across Ford, General Motors, healthcare facilities, and various public and private workplaces.
According to the UAW’s statement, Dickerson emphasized her commitment to building on the union’s momentum: “Our members stood up, took in the Big Three, and showed the world what union power looks like. I’m ready to build on that member-led momentum.”
A member of Local 600 since 1997, Dickerson has held nearly every elected role in the union—from plant-level bargaining team member to national negotiator with Ford. She was the first African American woman elected to the UAW International Executive Board in 2021.
