Our former colleague and very good friend Anna Mae Jones passed away Thursday, April 2, 2015. Anna Mae was the former president of ISSU, the clerical staff union, and her sudden and unexpected death saddens us.

During her tenure as ISSU leader, she worked tirelessly for her own constituents. From the very beginnings of her leadership, she reached out to the FA, and we welcomed that partnership. Like her colleague Dave Krause (who also passed away all too soon), she was committed to a vibrant solidarity of all campus unions.

Anna Mae Jones was truly a force to be reckoned with. Whip smart and fearless, she never hesitated to speak truth to power, and thus she often clashed with our former administration’s leadership (headed by Mark Rocha). During those dark times, Anna Mae shined as a beacon of strength. Always scrupulously well prepared, she vigorously engaged the issues from the most principled perspective.

While at times a controversial figure (she had little patience with those who were timid or tentative), she was a model of the informed and committed colleague. She embodied the best traits of union leaders– integrity, intelligence and passion.

When she was effectively forced out by the bullying of the Rocha administration, ISSU leaders moved to strengthen their union by affiliating with the California Federation of Teachers (CFT). Thus the loss of her position (technically her retirement), triggered the ISSU-CFT alliance.

Recently she shared that she was happy living in her home town of Wichita, Kansas. Her days at PCC, marked by conflict and struggle, were a fond memory, and she kept in close touch with many on campus. If ever there was a fighter for basic rights and respect for a unionized workforce, it was Anna Mae Jones.

Anna Mae believed in social justice and the genuine humanity of her constituents. She is gone all too soon, and we will miss her. However, her place in PCC’s union history is secure.