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Delegates Enthusiastically Reelect CWA Officers
Of all the standing ovations in Las Vegas during the CWA convention, one of the longest and most heartfelt was for CWA President Morton Bahr as he was unanimously elected to another three years in office.
His nomination was seconded by a special guest at the convention, Local 1009 retiree Marie Scheuermann, who has known Bahr since 1954 and called him her “hero.”
“He was elected president of his local and came as a delegate in 1955,” she recalled. “I was very impressed with his commitment and his desire to bring his unit into CWA. Even then, I could tell that this young man had something special.”
Bahr, whose wife, children and grandchildren were with him, has been president of CWA since 1985. He thanked the cheering delegates for their commitment “to move this union forward in the next three years at an ever-escalating pace, with just one objective in sight: to bring the best kind of trade union representation to the members we already represent, and to the thousands more that we will represent three years from now.”
CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, who has served since 1992, and CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who has served since 1998, were also enthusiastically reelected.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) paid tribute to all of them as he took the stage just after CWA’s executive board members were sworn in for new terms.
“All of you should know that we in Washington
consider ourselves lucky to work with a labor movement leader with the skill and ability, the tenacity, the commitment, the beliefs and the values of Morty Bahr,” Kerry said. “We need more people in Washington with the sense of purpose and the understanding of the real concerns and aspirations of the American people that are shared by leaders like Morty, Larry, Barbara and all of your vice presidents.”
The following sector vice presidents were reelected to office: Ralph Maly, Communications and Technologies; Brooks Sunkett, Public, Healthcare and Education Workers; Bill Boarman, Printing, Publishing and Media Workers; John Clark, NABET; and Linda Foley, The Newspaper Guild. Jimmy Gurganus was elected to the post of Telecommunications vice president, vacated by retiring T.O. Moses.
The following district vice presidents were also reelected: Larry Mancino, District 1; Pete Catucci, District 2; Jimmy Smith, District 3; Jeff Rechenbach, District 4; Andy Milburn, District 6; John Thompson, District 7; Tony Bixler, District 9; and Vince Maisano, District 13.
In a contested race in District 6, Local 6202 President Alice Andrade received 9,268 votes to Milburn’s 57,334. Clark was opposed in the NABET race by NABET-CWA Staff Representative Paula Olson.
His nomination was seconded by a special guest at the convention, Local 1009 retiree Marie Scheuermann, who has known Bahr since 1954 and called him her “hero.”
“He was elected president of his local and came as a delegate in 1955,” she recalled. “I was very impressed with his commitment and his desire to bring his unit into CWA. Even then, I could tell that this young man had something special.”
Bahr, whose wife, children and grandchildren were with him, has been president of CWA since 1985. He thanked the cheering delegates for their commitment “to move this union forward in the next three years at an ever-escalating pace, with just one objective in sight: to bring the best kind of trade union representation to the members we already represent, and to the thousands more that we will represent three years from now.”
CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, who has served since 1992, and CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who has served since 1998, were also enthusiastically reelected.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) paid tribute to all of them as he took the stage just after CWA’s executive board members were sworn in for new terms.
“All of you should know that we in Washington
consider ourselves lucky to work with a labor movement leader with the skill and ability, the tenacity, the commitment, the beliefs and the values of Morty Bahr,” Kerry said. “We need more people in Washington with the sense of purpose and the understanding of the real concerns and aspirations of the American people that are shared by leaders like Morty, Larry, Barbara and all of your vice presidents.”
The following sector vice presidents were reelected to office: Ralph Maly, Communications and Technologies; Brooks Sunkett, Public, Healthcare and Education Workers; Bill Boarman, Printing, Publishing and Media Workers; John Clark, NABET; and Linda Foley, The Newspaper Guild. Jimmy Gurganus was elected to the post of Telecommunications vice president, vacated by retiring T.O. Moses.
The following district vice presidents were also reelected: Larry Mancino, District 1; Pete Catucci, District 2; Jimmy Smith, District 3; Jeff Rechenbach, District 4; Andy Milburn, District 6; John Thompson, District 7; Tony Bixler, District 9; and Vince Maisano, District 13.
In a contested race in District 6, Local 6202 President Alice Andrade received 9,268 votes to Milburn’s 57,334. Clark was opposed in the NABET race by NABET-CWA Staff Representative Paula Olson.