Jerry Acosta, Senior National Representative for Region V, has retired after more than 40 years in the utility industry, most of them spent serving the 5,000 UWUA members of California Locals 132, 522 and 483 at SoCal Gas.
Jerry joined Local 132 in 1977 as a young Chicano activist in Los Angeles. He began his gas company career as a Customer Service Field Representative. He was first elected to serve as Trustee for Local 132 and subsequently became Area Officer for the Southern Region, representing the Compton, San Pedro and Huntington Park areas. In 1984 he became the local’s first Business Manager and then President and Chief Negotiator in 1988, serving in that capacity until 1991, when he was hired by then UWUA National President Jimmy Joy as Region V Director. He was elected to the National Executive Board the following year.
In 1997, Jerry was tapped by former AFL-CIO President John Sweeney as the Arizona State Field Director, moving up to be the Deputy Director of the Western Region in 2001 and then the Regional Director, where he served until 2010, when he rejoined the staff of the UWUA as the National Senior Representative for Region V.
Throughout Jerry’s career he was supported by his lovely wife and high school sweetheart Debbie Acosta, who played a crucial role in raising three children; Daniel, Frances and Marina. Jerry and Debbie plan to spend more time enjoying their four grandchildren; Dana, Emiliano, McKenzie and Lincoln Edward.