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CWA Pioneer Steve Holzer Dies
Stephen Holzer, a leader in the Federation of Telephone Workers of Pennsylvania who joined the CWA staff when the two unions merged, died on July 16. He was 81.
District 13 Vice President Jim Short, also a veteran of the FTWP, remembered Holzer as a capable CWA representative who had a knack for diffusing tense situations. "He always had a smile on his face and a quick joke to keep people loose. He could always lighten up the moment," Short said.
Born in Bethlehem, Pa., Holzer, an Army veteran of World War II, became an installer for Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania in 1948 and later worked for Bell as deskman. He held several leadership positions in the FTWP while working for the phone company, serving 11 years as a local president. In 1976 he became its central division president and a full-time officer.
He lobbied state and federal lawmakers on union issues, phone-banked for political candidates and handled the media for his former union until 1984. After the AT&T breakup that year, when the FTWP and CWA merged, he joined the staff as a CWA representative. FTWP's 13,000 members became statewide CWA Local 13000.
Holzer continued the work he began in the FTWP, handling grievances and arbitrations and local bargaining, over the course of his career working in Stroudsburg, Bethlehem, Quakertown, Freemansburg and Philadelphia as District 13 consolidated and relocated offices.
His friend Alex Minishak, another CWA representative who came through the FTWP and joined the CWA staff in 1999, said Steve "took me under his wing and gave me the advantage of his experience. He provided me with some very beneficial principles for dealing with people."
Holzer is survived by his wife of 56 years, Agnes; a daughter, Stephanie Schmoyer of Bethlehem; brother, Frank Holzer of Bethlehem; granddaughter, Victoria Schmoyer, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four sisters and two brothers.
District 13 Vice President Jim Short, also a veteran of the FTWP, remembered Holzer as a capable CWA representative who had a knack for diffusing tense situations. "He always had a smile on his face and a quick joke to keep people loose. He could always lighten up the moment," Short said.
Born in Bethlehem, Pa., Holzer, an Army veteran of World War II, became an installer for Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania in 1948 and later worked for Bell as deskman. He held several leadership positions in the FTWP while working for the phone company, serving 11 years as a local president. In 1976 he became its central division president and a full-time officer.
He lobbied state and federal lawmakers on union issues, phone-banked for political candidates and handled the media for his former union until 1984. After the AT&T breakup that year, when the FTWP and CWA merged, he joined the staff as a CWA representative. FTWP's 13,000 members became statewide CWA Local 13000.
Holzer continued the work he began in the FTWP, handling grievances and arbitrations and local bargaining, over the course of his career working in Stroudsburg, Bethlehem, Quakertown, Freemansburg and Philadelphia as District 13 consolidated and relocated offices.
His friend Alex Minishak, another CWA representative who came through the FTWP and joined the CWA staff in 1999, said Steve "took me under his wing and gave me the advantage of his experience. He provided me with some very beneficial principles for dealing with people."
Holzer is survived by his wife of 56 years, Agnes; a daughter, Stephanie Schmoyer of Bethlehem; brother, Frank Holzer of Bethlehem; granddaughter, Victoria Schmoyer, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four sisters and two brothers.