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Hollywood, Fla.—National President Colleen M. Kelley, a major figure in the U.S. labor movement, addressed members of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) for the last time Monday before she retires on Aug. 13. Her successor will be elected tomorrow.

In a fiery, heartfelt speech, Kelley urged delegates attending NTEU’s 55th biennial National Convention in Hollywood, Fla., to keep up the fight on behalf of the federal workforce over issues such as pay, benefits, retirement, budget cuts and “assaults” on employee rights.

“Keep doing what you do best. Keep accomplishing amazing things against great odds. Hold onto your faith. Stay confident. Be proud and hold your head up high. Because you are part of a great institution,” President Kelley said. “After 16 years as your president and 35 years as an NTEU leader … I can say that my faith in our union is even stronger than ever, and my confidence in our future is as well.”

Kelley is returning to her native Pittsburgh. Since 1999, she has served as the face and voice of NTEU, the nation’s largest independent federal-employee union, which represents 150,000 workers in 31 departments and agencies.

“I am leaving NTEU with a heavy heart, but I am returning home with a very happy heart,” President Kelley said.

She has won respect and admiration from members of Congress, agency heads, other union leaders and—most importantly—from rank-and-file NTEU members.

They praise her command of the many issues facing federal employees, her fierce advocacy on their behalf, her personal touch, her prodigious memory for personal facts and policy details, her calm professionalism and her knack for building relationships with people regardless of their ideological and political beliefs.

Kelley’s legacy runs the gamut from convincing the Bush administration to create a Flexible Spending Account healthcare benefit program for federal employees to pressuring the Obama administration to respond quickly to the recent cyberattacks on millions of federal personnel records maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.

She led the campaign to end the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) program to privatize the collection of unpaid tax debts; won an enhanced law enforcement retirement benefit for officers of Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security; reined in federal contracting and led the way in restoring labor-management collaboration at federal agencies.

Throughout her career, she has fought to improve and protect federal pay and benefits; narrow the gap between federal and private sector pay; preserve and expand due process rights for federal employees; improve work-life balance for federal employees, including expanding telework and alternative work schedules; and worked hard to make sure Congress and agencies treat federal workers with the respect and dignity they deserve.

“Colleen has truly embodied the spirit and energy of organized labor in defending the rights and dignity of working men and women at a time of great challenges,” said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) “During her national presidency, federal employees were targeted for pay freezes, furloughs, and increased pension contributions, and NTEU fought back and raised awareness of the important role federal employees play in keeping our nation safe and growing our economy.”

A certified public accountant, President Kelley joined the IRS as a revenue agent after graduating from Drexel University with an accounting degree. She later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She worked in the Pittsburgh office as a revenue agent for 14 years.

Kelley never intended to become a union leader, but injustices in the workplace made her get involved. She became a union steward 35 years ago, and became president of NTEU Chapter 34, IRS Pittsburgh, in 1982. She moved to the union’s Washington headquarters in 1988 to serve as the membership director and later became NTEU’s second in command. In 1999, she was overwhelmingly elected National President and has not lost an election since.