TNG Secretary-Treasurer to Retire

At April's sector conference in Pittsburgh, Rothman shares a laugh with Minnesota Guild administrative officer Mike Bucsko.

Carol Rothman, secretary-treasurer of TNG-CWA since 2008, has announced that she will retire at the end of the year.

“Carol has brought reason, balance and conviction to her position. It is hard for me to imagine doing this work without her,” Guild President Bernie Lunzer said.

Rothman, who was a career Guild activist while working on the commercial side of Philadelphia’s newspapers, “doesn’t tolerate inaction or indecisiveness and has been a positive force for change at a critical juncture,” he said. “Working with her has been a real joy even as the issues we have faced have often been so dire.”

Rothman’s 43 years as a Guild member include a decade as vice president at large on the Guild’s International Executive Board, from 1983 to 1993. From 1995 to 2008, she served as the first woman and the longest-tenured sector chairperson. “I am proud to claim that footnote in Guild history,” she said.

Her work, from handling grievances and improving contracts to “just helping members and locals has meant so much to me,” she said. “It has made my life complete, and left me with many lifelong friends.”

Leaving her career isn’t easy, but she said, “I hope everyone recognizes when the time comes to leave a job, even a job you love, and give yourself some time to enjoy life.”

Lunzer plans to assign California-based staff representative Sara Steffens to help him handle Rothman’s duties until an election is held at the next Guild sector conference in early 2015. At that time, Lunzer said he will run for re-election and is hopeful Steffens will run for secretary-treasurer.