CWA Convention Delegates Elect Leaders, Focus on 2008 Elections

Contact Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, cell 202-415-6566

Las Vegas – CWA President Larry Cohen was re-elected for a second three-year term by acclamation of delegates at the 70th convention of the Communications Workers of America. Delegates also elected a new secretary-treasurer and executive vice president.

Delegates elected Jeff Rechenbach by acclamation as secretary-treasurer. Rechenbach, a Cleveland native, had led the union's Midwest district until his election as executive vice president in 2005. Rechenbach succeeds Barbara J. Easterling, CWA's longtime secretary-treasurer, who has retired.

Annie Hill, CWA vice president for the 14-state District 7 headquartered in Denver, was elected executive vice president by acclamation. Those two positions, plus the president, make up CWA's executive committee.

Easterling served as secretary-treasurer for 13 years and is highly regarded for her community and philanthropic work, in addition to managing the finances and physical facilities of CWA. A native of Akron, Ohio, Easterling started her union work an operator at Ohio Bell, joining and serving in various posts in Local 4302. She became an assistant to the CWA president in 1980, was elected executive vice president in 1985, before being elected secretary-treasurer in 1992.

Also re-elected were vice presidents for CWA sectors: Ralph Maly, communications and technologies; Jimmy Gurganus, telecommunications; Brooks Sunkett, public, healthcare and education workers, and Bill Boarman, printing, publishing and media workers.

At the convention, delegates elected four at-large board members to the CWA Executive Board. Elected were Carolyn Wade, president, CWA Local 1040, Northeast region; Nestor Soto, president, CWA Local 33225, Southeast region; Claude Cummings, president, CWA Local 6222, central region and Madelyn Elder, president, CWA Local 7901, Western region. 

The 2007 convention delegates voted to expand the Executive Board to ensure that CWA leadership fully reflects the diversity, experiences and perspective of local union leaders and membership. The action was a key part of CWA's Ready for the Future program, a unionwide initiative built on strategic planning and strong grassroots activism.

In his convention address, Cohen stressed that Election 2008 provides the best opportunity in years to achieve the goals of real health care reform, retirement security, jobs and fair trade and the Employee Free Choice Act, the best means to restore the middle class and workers' collective bargaining rights.  Cohen's remarks and other convention news are available at ga.cwa-union.org.