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Elaine Gleason, Long Lines Veteran
Elaine Gleason, an early national director of AT&T Long Lines remembered as a highly skilled negotiator, died Nov. 10 at age 76.
Gleason began her career as an operator and reports clerk for AT&T in New York City and served Local 1150 in several leadership positions, including as president from 1952 to 1955. She also served on the executive boards of both the city and state AFL-CIO.
She was only 27 years old when she was elected at the CWA convention in 1955 as the Long Lines director, and she became one of the first women to serve on the CWA Executive Board.
"She was probably the most articulate person I ever met," said Jim Irvine, retired CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies. "At that time we didn't have the luxury of negotiating a contract every three years. It was every year, so you can imagine the strain. Elaine entered into stipulations with AT&T's labor relations vice president in those days that recognize seniority bidding rights. That bidding system, from the early '60s, is still in effect today."
In 1967, Gleason was assigned as a CWA representative in District 1. She served briefly in New York City, spent most of the next two years at the Washington, D.C., headquarters and was reassigned to Union, N.J.
Gleason began her career as an operator and reports clerk for AT&T in New York City and served Local 1150 in several leadership positions, including as president from 1952 to 1955. She also served on the executive boards of both the city and state AFL-CIO.
She was only 27 years old when she was elected at the CWA convention in 1955 as the Long Lines director, and she became one of the first women to serve on the CWA Executive Board.
"She was probably the most articulate person I ever met," said Jim Irvine, retired CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies. "At that time we didn't have the luxury of negotiating a contract every three years. It was every year, so you can imagine the strain. Elaine entered into stipulations with AT&T's labor relations vice president in those days that recognize seniority bidding rights. That bidding system, from the early '60s, is still in effect today."
In 1967, Gleason was assigned as a CWA representative in District 1. She served briefly in New York City, spent most of the next two years at the Washington, D.C., headquarters and was reassigned to Union, N.J.