Eric Olsen

My name is Eric W. Olsen, and I'm the Recording Secretary of the Denver Area Labor Federation. My day job is a sergeant at a state prison.  My other elected role is district chair and vice president of the state employees' union, Colorado WINS #1876, which is affiliated with both the SEIU and the American Federation of Teachers. Having so many unions has given me so many opportunities to be active. 

My Labor journey actually started during childhood.  My dad was a hard rock miner and member of LiUNA 720. My mom was a grocery bakery clerk and member of UFCW Local 7R. Conversations about unions, pay, work conditions, and politics were frequent in the Olsen family. The most important political issue was always about which candidates would support unions, and the cardinal rule was “NEVER CROSS A PICKET LINE”. 

I remain dedicated to working people. I became a delegate for DALF when I saw the full force of DALF and affiliated locals within the federation when they advocated for my local union in our fight for collective bargaining. I wanted to return the favor by helping other unions. My rally and strike participation and political activism hasn’t gone unnoticed by our union siblings.  I have since been elected to fill a vacancy for recording secretary and re-elected to a full term. 

I was born in Colorado, and I'm “union made." I take pride in our state, and I want to make it better for workers and our families. My promise to my union siblings is to be more than the guy who takes the meeting notes; I'll also be the guy who fights alongside you or even fights when you can't. 

In solidarity and love,

Eric