Union work is her passion

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/199399

By Tiana Velez
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.03.2007

Linda Hatfield's office is awash in red, white and blue, dominated by plush UA Wilbur Wildcats and soft Democratic Party donkeys. Attached to a metal file organizer is a magnetic purple ribbon sporting the slogan: "Support bitching."


Linda Hatfield, center, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 7000, prepares for negotiations with the Tucson Unified School District. With her are Jacqueline DuPont, left, James Baker, Gail Ogletree and Rick Rendon.
Jeffry Scott / Arizona Daily Star

"If you think there are a lot of donkeys here, you should see my house," she joked. Wilbur is there in support of her son, Deyton, a junior at the University of Arizona. "I've had him in picket lines since he was two. Believe it or not, he's more left than me."

When it comes to knowing where she stands, Hatfield leaves little room for guessing.

A Tucson native, she is the first woman president of Communications Workers of America Local 7000 — and now chairs the Pima Area Labor Federation, which has roughly 30,000 members.

She helped organize city employees in Nogales and Tucson, and is working with a team to organize the staff at the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

"Every time we win an organizing project, I consider it a huge success," she said.

FULL story and profile at link.

[Gman]

1. CWA District 7 is one of the toughest areas of the country

to negotiate a contract. The biggest employer is Quest/US West which even prior to the Quest merger was a tough contract to negotiate. Got no better afterwards.