Jan 18, 2002

CWA President Morton Bahr has been appointed chairman of the board of directors of the United Way International, the umbrella organization for the worldwide United Way organization.

United Way International has affiliates in 43 countries, and Bahr plans to involve the global union movement in strengthening United Way operations worldwide and starting new affiliates.

Bahr is especially interested in coordinating work between UWI and various United Nations agencies on the growing HIV-AIDS crisis in Africa.

Bahr's appointment continues a tradition for CWA, as he is the first labor leader to head the board of directors at UWI, just as CWA founding president Joe Beirne was the first labor leader to serve as chairman of the United Way of America's board of governors.