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R. W. Hackler, Former EVP, Dies at Age 72
Richard W. Hackler, a former CWA executive vice president who retired in 1985, died Nov. 18 near his Englewood, Colo., home following a lingering illness. He was 72.
Hackler, who served as assistant to the president under both the late Joseph A. Beirne and President Emeritus Glenn E. Watts, was credited with helping push the Bell System toward national bargaining in the early 1970s — a goal that was finally achieved in 1974. Before the union achieved national bargaining with Bell, negotiations were on a company by company basis.
Hackler was elected executive vice president on May 10, 1976, to succeed the late George E. Gill, who had died unexpectedly a few days earlier. He was elected to two terms by convention delegates before declining to seek reelection in 1980 and opting instead for the staff position as administrative assistant to the vice president of District 7.
A native of Denver, Hackler was hired as a central office equipment installer by the Western Electric Installation division in June 1946, in the San Francisco, Calif. area — and quickly became involved in union activities. He served CWA Local 9490 as a steward, area representative, vice president and eventually president before being named a CWA representative on Sept. 1, 1953.
He was promoted to the position of Northern California-Nevada director on Nov. 1, 1955. Five years later, Hackler was named assistant to the vice president of District 9, which was then composed of the states of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
He was elected vice president of the district in March 1965, to succeed Louis B. Knecht, who eventually became CWA’s secretary-treasurer.
During Hackler’s terms as vice president, he was successful in bringing into CWA the plant clerks of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co., now Pacific Telesis and part of Southwestern Bell, and thousands of employees of California Water and Telephone Co., now part of General Telephone.
He was summoned to the union’s Washington, D.C. headquarters in September of 1970 to serve as assistant to Beirne, and was given primary responsibility for collective bargaining.
During the 1971 negotiations — built around a theme that CWA would not accept a “small potatoes” wage and fringe package at the bargaining table — Hackler directed a task force of 50,000 stewards. Three years later, the Bell System had agreed to national bargaining with CWA — an arrangement that lasted until divestiture in 1985.
Hackler is survived by his wife, Joyce.
Hackler, who served as assistant to the president under both the late Joseph A. Beirne and President Emeritus Glenn E. Watts, was credited with helping push the Bell System toward national bargaining in the early 1970s — a goal that was finally achieved in 1974. Before the union achieved national bargaining with Bell, negotiations were on a company by company basis.
Hackler was elected executive vice president on May 10, 1976, to succeed the late George E. Gill, who had died unexpectedly a few days earlier. He was elected to two terms by convention delegates before declining to seek reelection in 1980 and opting instead for the staff position as administrative assistant to the vice president of District 7.
A native of Denver, Hackler was hired as a central office equipment installer by the Western Electric Installation division in June 1946, in the San Francisco, Calif. area — and quickly became involved in union activities. He served CWA Local 9490 as a steward, area representative, vice president and eventually president before being named a CWA representative on Sept. 1, 1953.
He was promoted to the position of Northern California-Nevada director on Nov. 1, 1955. Five years later, Hackler was named assistant to the vice president of District 9, which was then composed of the states of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
He was elected vice president of the district in March 1965, to succeed Louis B. Knecht, who eventually became CWA’s secretary-treasurer.
During Hackler’s terms as vice president, he was successful in bringing into CWA the plant clerks of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co., now Pacific Telesis and part of Southwestern Bell, and thousands of employees of California Water and Telephone Co., now part of General Telephone.
He was summoned to the union’s Washington, D.C. headquarters in September of 1970 to serve as assistant to Beirne, and was given primary responsibility for collective bargaining.
During the 1971 negotiations — built around a theme that CWA would not accept a “small potatoes” wage and fringe package at the bargaining table — Hackler directed a task force of 50,000 stewards. Three years later, the Bell System had agreed to national bargaining with CWA — an arrangement that lasted until divestiture in 1985.
Hackler is survived by his wife, Joyce.