Remembering Flo Tripi, local union activist

A local union leader and community activist has died.

Florence "Flo" Tripi was active in the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) for 50 years. She began her career in 1968 and served CSEA in many capacities throughout that career. Highlights include representing 3,000 members as the president of the Monroe County Unit, becoming the first Vice President of Monroe County Local 828, and most recently, serving as the Western Region President for 18 years.

Tripi also served nine years as a member of the Executive Council of the New York State AFL-CIO, and sat on CSEA's Statewide Board of Directors from 2000 to the time of her death. She served for 16 years as the Western Region's vice president, under the leadership of the late Robert L. Lattimer, former Western Region president.

Tripi served as Vice President of the Western New York Area Labor Federation and as a Vice President of the Buffalo Labor Council and of the Rochester Labor Council, where many battles have been won for those in the labor community.

Tripi was the Western Region's top CSEA activist, taking on politicians and the toughest governmental and agency administrations across New York State. She was regularly seen at local and unit contract rallies throughout the area, where she spoke out powerfully on behalf of our working families.

Tripi believed the Labor Movement should build on the past to strengthen its future. She also believed regularly communicating with membership was one of her most important duties.

CSEA President Danny Donohue called Tripi an inspiration of everyone around her.

"Flo used her voice to make life better in our communities and in our union," Donohue said in a statement. "Flo never backed down, stood tall and never failed to represent our members with dignity and heart, by whom she was most beloved."

She was a polished writer and keynote speaker who used those skills to write reports to the CSEA Board of Directors and the Region's leadership and membership as well as to host Western New York regional meetings designed to provide local and unit delegates with important information for their grassroots campaigns. 

Four of the most important things in Tripi's life were family, faith, friends and union. She was an
avid gardener and a regular attendee of St. Charles Borromeo Church. Tripi was also a
lifelong New York Yankees fan.