If Not Now, When? - Working

Oct 13, 2026

CWA News issue from June/July 2007 presents a call to expand Executive Board diversity through the “Ready for the Future” process. The proposal targets increased ethnic and gender representation and adds new voices of local leaders for the first time. It argues the current district and sector vice-president structure has not adequately promoted diversity, creating election disadvantages for minorities. The publication outlines costs, connects the plan to prior convention directives, and emphasizes leadership diversity as essential to responsiveness and democratic traditions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time17 min

AccessFree to download

If Not Now, When?

Ready for the Future diversity proposal

Board restructuring and minority representation

Rationale and cost of at-large diversity members

WORKING

Publication details and editorial staff

0fficial Publication of the Communications Workers lAmerica (AFL-C10,CLC) international Union Headquarters 5013rd Street,N.W., Washington.D.C.20001-2797Phone:(202)434-1100 Address changes: Inguiries or corrections for CWA Newssubscriptions shouid be addressed to CWA Membership Dues Dept. E-Mail:subscribe@cwa-union.org Produced by CWA Communications DepartmentDirector/Executive Editor Jeffery M.MillerAssociate Director Candice M.JohnsonAssociate Editor John R.CusickSenior Writer/Editor Janelle HartmanMedia Campaign Coordinator Stephen Chapman Editorial Specialist Alicia Nestor # If Not Now,When? he Proposal to increase Executive Board diversityreflects the partnership we are building betweennational and local leaders through our Ready for theFuture process.It calls for expanding ethnic andgender diversity whilealso adding the voices of local lead-ers to our Executive Board for the first time. This proposal is part of Ready for the Future,adopted atlast year's convention,which specifically called for changesthat would address Executive Board diversity.RFF calls forother Board restructuring by 2011.We've received somecomments that diversity can wait unil then,that we need todo everything at once.However,change is a continuingprocess.Diversity is before us now as,step by step.wemove forward. We've recognized for years that our Executive Boarddoesn't reflect the diverse makeup of CWA's membership.Now is the time to address that issue directly—and to doso in a way that honors our democratic traditions andmakes our national leadership even more responsive tomembers'needs. We're justly proud of CWA's reputation as a progressiveleader of our labor movement.But frankly,when it comesto diversity at the highest elected leadership level,we'relagging rather than leading. While our structure of district and sector vice presidentshas served us well in most respects,this system has notadequately promoted diversity,particularly when it comesto minorities.That simply is unlikely to change without ourtaking specific action.The fact is that minorities averageabout 15 percent of the membership in most districts andsectors,which statistically puts people of color at a disad-vantage in getting elected to Board positions.This is not amath game,but our Board has never had more than oneminority member—far less than the percentage of ourmembers who identify themselves as minorities. Volume 67,No.4JUNEJULY 2007 # WORKING CWA News (ISSN0007-9227)is published monthly except JanFeb,Apr/May,June/July,Aug/Sept and Nov/Dec combined byCommunications Workers of America,5013rd Street.N.W.Washington,D.C.20001-2797.Periodical Postage Paid atWashington,D.C.Postmaster:Send address changes to CWA,5013rd Street,N.W.Washington.D.C.20001-2797. Printed at Kelly Press.Cheverly.Md.Design by Chadick+Kimball,Washington,D.C. CWA Executive Board President Larry CohenSecretary-Treasurer Barbara J.Easterling=Executive VicePresident Jeff Rechenbach Vice Presidents District 1.Savant s District 4,Seth Rosen District 6.Andy Milburna Distict 7.Annie Hll District 9.Tony Bixler District 13.,James J.ShortTelecommunications.Jimmy Gurganus Public.Health Care andEducation Workers,Brooks Sunkett Printing.Publishing andMedia Workers,William Boarman=Broadcast and Cable TelevisionWorkers,John S.Clark The Newspaper Guild-CWA,Linda K FoleyIUE-CWA Industrial Division,Jim Clark a Association of FlightAttendants-CWA.Pat Friend CWA is one of only a few unions without local leaders onits Executive Board.Under the Diversity Proposal,the fourelected at-large diversity members would have a full voiceand vote on the Board but would not be Vice Presidents.The cost to the union forwages,travel and expenses for alfour would total less than $25,000 a year—a small pricefor increasing Board diversity in asignificant way and bring-ing CWA into the mainstream of our movement. Unions have been taking steps to broaden the makeupof their boards in response to the AF

FAQs

What does the “Ready for the Future” diversity proposal aim to change?

It expands ethnic and gender diversity and adds voices of local leaders to the Executive Board for the first time.

Why does the document argue CWA should act now on diversity?

Because the Executive Board does not reflect CWA’s diverse membership, and the current structure has not adequately promoted diversity, leaving minorities at a disadvantage.

How does the proposal address at-large diversity members and their impact?

It adds elected at-large diversity members with full voice and vote on the Board, while clarifying the estimated annual cost to the union.

Oct 13, 2026

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