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David Ivers
Secretary-Treasurer

As the new Secretary-Treasurer of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO, I humbly ask you for your help and support. Following is my lifes history, all the good parts. If I were to include all my mistakes, failures, errors, opps!, this bio would be much, much longer, but probaly more interesting! Well here go's; I recently retired as Assistant to the Business Manager and Recording-Corresponding Secretary for the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 547, AFL-CIO. I worked for the 6000 members of our Local Union.   My duties included negotiating contracts, grievance and termination hearings, arbitration hearings and lobbying in Lansing. I have served on the Executive Board of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO and The Michigan AFL-CIO for the last 20 years.  

I am very proud of my part in the Michigan Labor Legacy Project.  Working men and women from Metro Detroit, and all over the USA , donated over one and a half million dollars to make "Transending" a reality. The 63' sculpture stands high in Hart Plaza. It honors Detroit's 300th Birthday.

I was born and raised in Detroit.  After graduating from Southeastern High School, I attended Wayne State University while working full-time at Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  The sea beckoned, and I joined the Navy.  I served in the Submarine Service, on the USS Grouper, USS Croaker and the USS Patrick Henry I got to see the world - or at least, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. After discharge from the Navy, I began an apprenticeship as an Operating Engineer. Upon completion of my apprenticeship, I went to work at Wayne State University. My coworkers elected me day shift steward at WSU. I served in that position until 1984, when I was asked to serve fulltime as a Business Agent for the Operating Engineers by Business Manager Phil Schloop. I have attended numerous training classes over the years as a student and a facilitator. My most recent certification was from the EPA as a “First Responder”. Completion of this training allows me to teach Building Engineers the proper response to nuclear, radiological and biological threats to high-rise buildings.

My wife and I met in New York City. We have been married for 43 years. We have two (2) children and four (4) wonderful grandchildren. We have been blessed to be able to travel to Europe and Hawaii with our grandchildren. We have enjoyed many wonderful sights, sounds and tastes. Oh, yes! We have also gotten lost many times. My wife and I are active in our church, Historic Trinity Lutheran, located in downtown Detroit. I have worked on behalf of many social justice causes. I am past Chair of the Interfaith Center for Racial Justice; I am theSecretary for the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund; and an Executive Board member of the Elder Law of Michigan. I am involved in many Union and social justice organizations, including the American Civil Liberty Union, the Democratic Socialists of America, the Metro. Detroit-Interfaith Committee for Worker Issues and the Michigan Alliance To Strengthen Social Security And Medicare.