New York, NY (Feb. 19, 2025) – The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, CLC, Executive Board today named Tyler Turner to serve as president, following the retirement of Richard Lanigan. The appointment, effective immediately, was made at the executive board’s meeting in Las Vegas. Turner has served since 2017 as president of Local 277 in Fort Worth, Texas, and as an International vice president for Region IV since 2019. He will serve alongside OPEIU Secretary-Treasurer Mary Mahoney.
“I would like to thank the executive board for its decision to appoint me as president,” said Turner. “I am humbled by its faith in me, and am committed to serving the more than 90,000 OPEIU members and advocating for the rights and dignity of all working people across the country. I look forward to growing and strengthening our union through organizing and community activism.”
“The OPEIU Executive Board is confident Tyler Turner is the right choice to lead our union through the next challenging years as we face a hostile anti-worker administration,” the executive board said. “Tyler has the experience and vision needed to ensure OPEIU can weather these challenges, find new and innovative approaches to organizing in our industries and ultimately, work to ensure our members enjoy the dignity and respect they deserve in their workplaces.”
As the son of OPEIU Vice President Emerita and former Local 277 President and Business Manager, Becky Turner, Tyler Turner was introduced to labor activism at a young age. He began attending membership meetings at eight weeks old and quickly grew to realize that Local 277 members would be his lifelong family.
Upon going to work for Kaiser Permanente’s Consolidated Service Center in Fort Worth, Turner joined Local 277 in 2007. Soon after becoming a member, he realized his passion for labor activism and went to work directly for the local as support staff. He began his training by working side by side with Local 277 Business Representative Chuck Tyler, supporting members working for the City of Fort Worth and becoming active in the Tarrant County Central Labor Council.
In 2011, Turner was promoted to business representative for Local 277 and began representing members working for American Income Life Insurance Company across the United States and New Zealand. That same year, he was elected to the Tarrant County Central Labor Council Executive Board as a member at large where he served on various committees.
After serving on the bargaining committees with members working for Lockheed Martin, American Income Life, National Income Life and numerous other bargaining units, Turner was appointed to the Local 277 Executive Board as recording secretary. In 2013, he was promoted to senior business representative and elected as a District 8 vice president for the Texas AFL-CIO.
After his election as Local 277 president in 2017, Turner was elected the following year as a trustee for the Tarrant County Central Labor Council. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a BBA in finance.
Click here to read President Turner’s bio.