In The News: United Way Honors Easterling with Joseph Bierne Award

CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling has been selected by United Way of America as this year's recipient of its prestigious Joseph A. Beirne Community Services Award.

Easterling is being honored for her career-long service to United Way, including more than 10 years on its board of governors.

"Barbara is a gracious and inspiring leader," said Brian Gallagher, United Way president and CEO. "She has been a champion of United Way, the labor movement and our longstanding partnership — always ensuring the interests of our nation's communities were considered first and foremost. She is a true advocate and both our movements will miss her leadership."

Easterling remembers how, as a young steward in Local 4302 in Akron. Ohio, she heard Beirne — CWA's founding president — urging local leaders to get involved as "a way we can represent our members beyond the company gate."

Her years of commitment to United Way brought her to its board in 1997, where she has tackled such issues as poverty, HIV-AIDS and teen pregnancy and pushed for a restructure of the agency to better serve communities.

Easterling will step down from the United Way board when she receives the award on May 15. She will retire from CWA at the union's convention in June.