[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6134-6135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO BARBARA J. EASTERLING

 Mr. LAUTENBERG. Madam President, I pay tribute to Barbara J. 
Easterling for her tireless dedication to

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workers' rights. Barbara is a true leader, and her commitment to the 
Communication Workers of America, CWA, is more than worthy of 
recognition.
  Barbara is the first woman ever to serve as CWA's secretary-
treasurer--its second-highest office--and she has held the position for 
the past 16 years. She supervises the budget, finances, and strategic 
planning of the organization, and is responsible for the union's 
retiree program. The 700,000 men and women of the CWA have consistently 
reelected Barbara by acclamation, most recently in 2005.
  In addition, Barbara has worked to advance the rights of women in the 
workplace. She serves on the board of the Union Network International, 
UNI, a 17-million member labor organization, and is president of the 
UNI World Women's Committee. For her accomplishments, Barbara has 
received the Women's Equity Action League Award, the International 
Women's Democracy Center Global Democracy Award, the Midwest Labor 
Press Association's Eugene V. Debs Award, and the Ellis Island American 
Legend Award.
  While Barbara has displayed impressive achievements as secretary-
treasurer of CWA, she has also found time to contribute to several 
other worthy organizations. She is cochair of the National Alliance to 
End Homelessness, a member of the Spinal Bifida Foundation and the 
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and serves on the board of 
directors of the National Democratic Institute for International 
Affairs and the Faith and Politics Institute. Barbara has displayed a 
commendable ability to advance the goals of each of these organizations 
and increase their impact.
  Throughout her long and distinguished career, Barbara has worked to 
shatter the glass ceiling at the local, national, and international 
level. I am proud that she was honored last month before a record 
gathering of union women at the Women in Leadership Development 
Conference in East Brunswick, NJ. Whether striving to advance the 
rights of workers, serving as an advocate for women, or volunteering 
her time on behalf of countless organizations, Barbara has been a 
strong and effective leader. Barbara embodies the best of the union 
spirit and I thank her for her service and commitment to the CWA and 
workers across the country.


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