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The Metro DC Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) recognized two longtime IAM Union leaders for their contributions to the labor movement with an awards ceremony held in Washington, D.C.
IAM Union Human Rights Director Nicole Fears received the Gloria T. Johnson Leadership Award, while retired IAM Communications Representative Tanya Hutchins, also a SAG-AFTRA member, was honored with the Donna Brockington Activist of CLUW Award.
“Nicole and Tanya have dedicated their careers to strengthening the labor movement and giving working people a voice,” said IAM General Secretary-Treasurer and CLUW member Dora Cervantes. “Their leadership, activism and commitment to our members and our movement are an inspiration, and the IAM Union is proud to stand with them as they receive these well-deserved honors.”
The Metro DC CLUW awards recognize women who have demonstrated leadership, organizing, activism and commitment to lifting the voices of working women. The reception on Sept. 23 was part of the Chapter’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration.
The IAM Union is proud to have served as the Gold Sponsor of the awards event, and IAM Women’s Department Director Dee Colbert delivered remarks celebrating the honorees and their contributions to the labor movement.
For the IAM Union, the evening provided an opportunity to celebrate Fears and Hutchins and recognize the continuing contributions of union women to the labor movement.
Honoring Nicole Fears
Nicole Fears has spent more than three decades in the labor movement, with a journey that began as a flight attendant and grew through years of representing and serving working people.
A longtime member of IAM Union, Nicole spent nearly 20 years as a shop steward, learning the labor movement from the ground up, listening to members, enforcing the contract, filing grievances, and standing beside workers when they needed their union.
She later served in Local leadership, becoming the first Black president of her flight attendant Local in Cleveland.
Today, Nicole serves as the IAM Union Human Rights Director, where her work is centered on helping build a union where every member knows they matter, their voice matters, and there is a place for them to participate and lead.
She works with IAM Union Locals, Districts and Territories to strengthen Human Rights Committees, expand member participation, and help members connect human rights to how we treat one another, how we lead, and how we build a stronger union together.
Education is also central to her work. Nicole continues to develop and expand Human Rights education at the IAM Union’s William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, creating opportunities for members to learn, have meaningful conversations, and take practical tools back home to strengthen their Locals and workplaces.
Her work also extends across the broader labor movement through relationships and service with labor constituency organizations. Nicole serves on the national board of the A. Philip Randolph Institute and, in 2026, was elected Chair of the Coalition of Labor Union Women’s Industrial Union Council.
Nicole’s leadership is grounded in a simple philosophy: human rights are about dignity, not identity. She believes every member should be able to see themselves in their union, know that their voice matters, and have a real opportunity to participate and lead. For Nicole, human rights are workers’ rights and building a stronger labor movement means making room for the humanity of every worker.
Honoring Tanya Hutchins
Hutchins is being recognized with the Donna Brockington Activist of CLUW Award for her years of activism and service within CLUW and the broader labor movement.
Hutchins joined CLUW in 2012 while working as a Communications Representative and multimedia journalist for IAM Union headquarters. During her IAM career, she covered organizing and collective bargaining campaigns at Boeing, the founding of the IAM Maine Lobstering Union and countless rallies and actions involving IAM members.
She also hosted the IAM’s Activate L!VE webcast for three years, interviewing women IAM members about mentoring programs and their experiences within their locals.
Her activism within CLUW has continued throughout her career. Hutchins serves on CLUW National’s Media Committee and previously served as Treasurer of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of CLUW. She is currently a member of the Metro DC chapter.
Before joining the IAM, Hutchins spent more than 15 years as a news anchor and reporter in Columbus, Ohio, working for NBC and ABC affiliates and the Ohio News Network. She later worked as a traffic reporter for NBC 4 Washington, ABC 2 in Baltimore and WJZ 13.
Hutchins is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, which she joined as a freelancer working in commercials, corporate training videos and films. She serves on the union’s Next Gen committee and operates Hutch House LLC, a video production business. A graduate of Ithaca College, Hutchins continues to combine her communications skills, creative work and commitment to the labor movement.
The awards are named after two women who played significant roles in CLUW’s history. Gloria T. Johnson was a longtime women’s, labor and civil rights leader who served as CLUW president from 1993 to 2004. Donna Brockington began her labor movement career with AFGE Local 32 and went on to become a local leader, contract negotiator and labor and community organizer dedicated to advancing the economic welfare of women and families.
