Local 8888 President Charles Spivey

Charles Spivey was elected to a three-year term as president of United Steelworkers Local 8888, in May, 2018, after he served three years as vice president of the union that represents more than 9,700 shipbuilders in Newport News, Virginia.  Spivey, who is also the pastor of Living Word Ministries, has been employed at Newport News Shipbuilding for over 40 years and holds the title of Master Shipbuilder. He proudly claims to have been a Steelworker during his entire tenure in the shipyard, walking the picket line during the contract strikes in 1979 and 1999. 

Spivey worked his way up the leadership ranks in Local 8888, which is the largest Steelworker local in the nation. He served as Civil Rights Chairman from 2006 – 2018; Organizing Chairman and Grievance Rep for departments O54 and X36; and the Ministers Alliance Chairman.

Spivey took the reins of leadership as the union was celebrating its 40th anniversary and undergoing a critical transition. More than 600 Local 8888 members have 40 or more years of service and are nearing retirement. At the same time, nearly 60 percent of the membership has less than 10 years of service and half were even born when the union was launched in 1978.  

Spivey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Shaw University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Theology from W.P. Wiggins Bible Institute. A native of Colerain, North Carolina, Rev. Spivey is married and the father of four children, three sons a daughter.