Union Boss Burger Leaves Posts at SEIU, Change to Win

WASHINGTON -- One of the most powerful women in the U.S. labor movement is leaving her post as head of the 5.5-million member Change to Win federation.

Anna Burger is also retiring as secretary-treasurer of the 2.2-million member Service Employees International Union.

Burger's decision comes three months after she lost a race to succeed Andy Stern as president of the politically influential SEIU.

In 2005, Burger and Stern led the SEIU and six other unions to break away from the AFL-CIO -- the nation's largest labor federation -- to form the rival Change to Win federation.

Burger says she will remain on President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board and support a variety of other organizations. She also plans to do consulting work for the SEIU.