Karleen A. George

Organizing Coordinator, District 36 American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Ms. Karleen A. George has been the Organizing Coordinator for District Council 36 of AFSCME since April, 1998. In ten years as a Judicial Assistant with the Los Angeles Superior Court, she worked in a variety of courtrooms, including criminal, master calendar courts, and civil direct calendar courts. Her experience also includes complex litigation consisting of writs and receivers, asbestos, probate, class action, coordination, eminent domain.

For four years before leaving the court, Ms. George was president of the Los Angeles County Superior Court Clerks' Association, AFSCME Local 575, and was actively involved in negotiating the first raise in more than six years for court clerks and judicial assistants. She negotiated the first contract providing for joint labor-management committees on technology and member professional development. She helped organize the 1,100-member bargaining unit consisting of clerical employees in the Superior Court. Ms. George, along with several employee association leaders, was instrumental in the passage of AB 1438, a multiyear challenge reinstating collective bargaining rights for court employees on noneconomic matters. Ms. George is a member and the former chair of the Los Angeles County Commission on Judicial Procedures and mentoring chair for the Los Angeles Women's Appointment Collaboration.