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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2014)
Longtime CWA #7901 president Madelyn Elder retiring M ADELYN E LDER NOVEMBER 7, 2014 By DON McINTOSH Associate Editor Labor union fighter Madelyn Elder, 60, is stepping down after 21 years in office at Portland-headquartered Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7901. Elder served five three-year terms as presi- dent, following two three-year terms as sec- retary-treasurer. She’ll be succeeded by Jeanette Turner, Local 7901’s current executive vice presi- dent, who was running unopposed when nominations closed Oct. 29. CWA Local 7901 represents workers in telecommunications and at a handful of nonprofit organizations. In the 15 years Elder served as president, Local 7901 membership plummeted from 1,800 to less than 800 as the local faced round after round of layoffs and closures. Membership would be even smaller today if it weren’t for several organizing wins, in- cluding about 300 workers at 19 AT&T re- tail stores. The union’s core land-line busi- ness — which once provided good union jobs to thousands of CWA members in the Portland area — today employs 175. In recent years, Elder led hard-fought campaigns to unionize and secure union contracts at some non-traditional employ- ers for CWA, including the computer recy- cling nonprofit Free Geek, the canvass or- an AT&T call center in ganization Grassroots Strate- Portland. AT&T was her gies Inc., and community radio first union job, after a station KBOO-FM. She also succession of low-wage helped a group of Portland taxi employers like Burger drivers overcome hurdles to King, Motel 6, and Best form a union-affiliated co-op, Western. She got in- Union Cab. And she fought for volved in the union as a more than two years to get a steward, but soon aroused bare-bones contract for 24 management’s ire. Fired workers at a Fund for the Public at AT&T, she went to Interest call center, which raises work for the union, and funds for state PIRGs. Elder was later reinstated at also had her share of outright AT&T on condition she losses. In 2010, she answered a not return to work. But call for help from exploited J EANETTE T URNER AT&T closed the call mistreated workers at Dosha, a center. local chain of Aveda-branded As president, Turner says her priority salons. Workers voted to unionize with CWA, but 17 months later, unable to get a will be training stewards, and getting mem- union contract, the union walked away. As bers to become active— particularly Local 7901 membership shrunk, Elder went younger workers at AT&T retail stores. down to part-time at Local 7901. Since She’ll also learn to bargain contracts for the 2010, she’s also worked part-time at Ore- first time for several of the local’s non-profit gon Tradeswomen Inc., a non-profit that re- bargaining units. Also running unopposed for Local 7901 cruits women to pursue careers in tradition- office are SEIU Local 503 organizer Joye ally-male building trades. Elder will stay through the end of the Camacho, secretary-treasurer, and Centu- ryLink employee Jeff Hall, executive vice year to train her replacement. Turner, 37, grew up in Antioch, Califor- president. Local 7901’s new officers will be nia, and is the granddaughter of a union car- sworn in at the union’s Dec. 11 general penter and a “Rosie the Riveter.” She joined membership meeting, and will take office CWA in 2006 when she went to work for Jan. 1. NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 9
