Born in Jamaica and raised in New York from age 10, Wayne Spence has risen to become one of America’s most influential labor leaders as the groundbreaking four-term President of New York’s Public Employees Federation. His historic tenure as both PEF’s first person of color and longest-serving president has been defined by transformative achievements including negotiating four consecutive contracts with across-the-board raises, spearheading the $1.1 billion rescue of Brooklyn’s SUNY Downstate Medical Center that saved 800+ union jobs, and implementing critical safety reforms like pregnancy protections for parole officers and mandatory metal detectors in state facilities.
Beyond his local impact, Spence wields national influence through leadership roles with the American Federation of Teachers as National Vice President, SEIU’s Racial Justice Committee, and the NYS AFL-CIO Executive Board. The Bronx High School of Science graduate and NYIT electrical engineer uniquely blends technical expertise with grassroots activism, having founded NYIT’s Caribbean Society before his 32-year career as a parole officer turned labor visionary.
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His remarkable journey from Kingston to labor’s highest echelons reflects both his Jamaican roots and New York hustle – a certified firearms instructor, Phi Beta Sigma fraternity leader, and devoted family man who continues to fight for working families while maintaining deep ties to his Caribbean community. As Cornell ILR Advisory Board member and architect of the largest public hospital rescue in recent New York history, Spence’s legacy proves that principled leadership can deliver both worker protections and vital public services.
In conversation with Carib News he shared the following in honor of the Jamaica Power 100:
CN: How has your heritage or cultural identity influenced your journey and the work you do today?
WS: I came to New York from George’s Plain in the parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica, in 1976 at the age of 10. I left behind Aunts and uncles who were proud, hard-working middle-class people who instilled in me a strong work ethic from an early age—washing the family cars on weekends, cutting the lawn with a manual push mower, and understanding the value of discipline and responsibility. Those early lessons helped me stand out among my peers in New York and shaped the foundation of who I am today. They helped me earn a spot at The Bronx HS Science, navigate college despite personal setbacks, and graduate with a BS degree in Electrical, Mechanical, and Computer Technology. Like many Jamaicans, I embraced the “three jobs” stereotype—working on and off campus while being a full-time student. That hustle, that drive, has never left me. It led me to public service and ultimately to becoming the first person of color and longest-serving President of the Public Employees Federation. My Jamaican heritage grounds my leadership—it’s where my grit, pride, and commitment to justice come from.
CN: What opportunities do you see for members of the Caribbean diaspora to collectively harness their power for global influence and change?
WS: The political climate in the United States has shifted in unsettling ways for many of us in the diaspora. It’s forced a reckoning, at least for me, about where and how we can truly thrive. I’ve even begun seriously considering returning to Jamaica to retire—or perhaps to start a new chapter of service. This “New America” has stripped away the comfort many of us once felt, but in doing so, it’s revealed new global opportunities. For the Caribbean diaspora, this is a moment to build economic and political power not just in our host countries, but across borders. Our influence is vast—we need collective vision and unity to leverage it.
CN: What thoughts of wisdom you would offer to young persons aiming for success?
WS: Don’t get too comfortable. Comfort can make you complacent. Stay grounded in where you come from, because your roots are your strength. Know your history, listen to your elders, and build for those coming behind you. Leadership is not about the spotlight—it’s about service, and the responsibility to lift as you climb.
