June 17, 2019

Mary Land – Retiree Activist for All Seasons

Mary Land is a WIARA rock star from Racine Wisconsin.

Mary worked for General Motors at the Delco and Delphi plants for 28 years until she was forced into early retirement when GM tore down the Oak Creek plant in 2006.

Mary remains a UAW activist and joined WIARA in 2006 after her forced retirement. She has marched in all weather for the rights of workers and the healthcare needs of seniors and their families. Mary knows about families. She has a son and daughter as well as a stepson and stepdaughter. She also has 10 grandchildren.

After her retirement, Mary expanded her activism to include local government. She is serving her third 2-year term as an alderperson on the Racine City Council. Her first act in the first term immediately after taking office was to lead and win an Advisory Referendum opposing the Trans Pacific Partnership, a NAFTA-like agreement with Asian countries that violated union worker standards. She helped her constituents defeat an attempt to place a polluting batch plant in Mount Pleasant. She was a leader in the recall campaigns in 2012, successfully recalling Van Wanggaard – the Republican State Senator who represented the Racine area. He had supported Gov. Walkers effort to eliminate public sector unions in Wisconsin. Mary also led the effort to successfully keep Fischer USA in the City of Racine and retain the 85 well-paid jobs that went with it.

Mary is on the WIARA Executive Board keeping the WIARA Facebook up to date politically, helping build the campaign to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin and supporting worker issues in her many roles. WIARA wants to thank Mary for her energy and commitment. We are counting on Mary and others like her to turn state and national government toward economic and social justice in 2020.