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Maggie Jacobsen Dies

Maggie Jacobsen, Former Member of the National Mediation Board Dies

Magdalena (Maggie) Jacobsen?the daughter of a tugboat captain?who became one of the most prominent women in labor relations has died.

Maggie started her career in 1962 as a flight attendant for Continental Airlines, became a representative of her Union, the Steward and Stewardess Division of the Airline Pilots Association, and was elected national secretary-treasurer of the Union that represented over 20,000 flight attendants who flew on 20 air carriers.

In 1971, Jacobsen studied at the AFL-CIO Labor Studies Program and earned a certificate in labor studies there.

In 1973, she completed Harvard University?s Trade Union Program.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior in 1987 and?in 1989?an MS in Human Resource Management.

In 1972, Maggie became Manager of Labor Relations for Continental Airlines.

Jacobsen became Employee Relations Director for the City and County of San Francisco in 1991 and provided leadership to 93 departments, divisions and commissions in their relations with the 45 labor organizations that represented some 33,000 public employees.

In 1976, she became a Commissioner (mediator) in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), a government agency providing services?in large part?to private sector parties engaged in collective bargaining.

In 1992 she accepted assignment to the Portland FMCS office and, while there, organized the Oregon Chapter of the Industrial Relations Research Association (IRRA)?now called the Labor and Employment Relations Association.

In 1998 Maggie was elected national president of IRRA, the one organization in labor relations that serves the interests of the entire labor relations community: academics, labor, management, and neutrals.

In 1993, President Clinton nominated Maggie Jacobsen to the National Mediation Board, the federal agency with jurisdiction over collective bargaining in the airline and railroad industries.

She was confirmed by the United States Senate and served three terms, including service as the Board?s Chairperson.

Maggie mediated the 1994 to 1996 national rail negotiations that produced the longest period of labor peace in that industry in 22 years.

Both parties gave her the title ?Iron Lady? in testimony to her efforts to bring the parties to agreement.

She returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2002, where she began a private practice as a mediator and arbitrator.

In 2005 Maggie moved to Camas, Washington, where she continued her practice as a neutral in collective bargaining.

While there she became a founding partner in OPTIONS For the Workplace, LLP, a organization that provides services jointly to unions and employees to foster constructive approaches to labor-management relations.

Magdalena Jacobsen is survived by her husband, Bruce Henricus, a retired Teamster leader, two sisters Jean Jacobsen and Annette Allen both of California, and a brother Waldemar Jacobsen of Connecticut.

The family requests that offerings in her memory be sent to the Susan G Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas Texas 75244 and/or the Ray Hicky Hospice House, 2112 E Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver, Washington 98661

Full post as published by Ross' Employment Law Blog on February 03, 2008 (boomark / email).