No Retreat, No Surrender – Karen Mazuer

Today we celebrate the life of Karen Mazuer; our strong, yet humble activist who was a leader in shaping our Flight Attendant career. On June 14, 2011 Karen passed quietly but the great impact she made with her life will continue to be experienced by Flight Attendants every day.

As a United Flight Attendant for 41 years beginning in July of 1969, Karen Mazuer tirelessly served and inspired our Union for 37 years as an AFA Representative. Under Karen’s leadership, our profession has progressed into a career for Flight Attendants. Karen applied selfless dedication as a tireless trade unionist in her work on Grievance, Insurance, Retirement, and Scheduling committees. Karen’s credentials list is comprehensive and includes her determined work as the AFA United MEC Strike Chairperson and Newark Local Council 6 President.

Karen was the most experienced Flight Attendant negotiator in our industry, with training at Cornell University and the George Meany Labor Studies Center followed by more than eight Contractual negotiations and experience that extends to other airlines. Karen served as a negotiator moving our profession forward and enhancing the work life of Flight Attendants. She has been part of important and historic United Airlines negotiations including the Partnership Program, International Operations, the 1982 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the 1995 Tentative Agreement and the Restructuring Agreements. She most recently served on the United Negotiating Committee where her commitment to do Whatever it Takes! to achieve an industry leading Contract inspired us all.

Over her long and rich career, she has fought against restrictions that included age, gender, ethnicity and weight. The vision of Karen and her peers helped to destroy these discriminatory practices. Today, the Flight Attendant profession is often recognized as a leader in advancing the rights of women and uprooting gender discrimination. Karen has spent a lifetime committed to her Union and to improving the profession she loved for more than four decades.

Flight Attendants everywhere are the beneficiaries of her dedication and commitment to our profession. Her leadership and loyalty to Flight Attendants is beyond compare. She has distinguished herself through a lifetime of contribution to the advancement of our Union, is esteemed for her level of personal and professional integrity, and has been an inspiration to all through her selfless service. In recognition of her distinguished service through a lifetime of contribution to the advancement of our Union and the Flight Attendant profession, this year Karen was conferred with the Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award.

Karen demonstrated remarkable determination and strength of character, never giving in, never wavering in her determination to beat the odds – whatever those odds might be. She reassured all of us, “Keep up the fight. No retreat, no surrender.”

A celebration of Karen’s life will be held in the coming week. At the request of her family, details about the service will not be publically available but can be obtained through your Local Council or the United MEC office.

In lieu of flowers

Karen’s family is requesting that no flowers be sent.

In lieu of flowers, we have been told by the family Karen would be honored by a contribution, in her memory, to either of the following:

AFA Disaster Relief Fund,

or

United MEC CHAOS™ Strike Fund.