The Milwaukee labor community spent the fall of 2000 honoring Mary Hawkins on her retirement. But over the end-of-year holidays, through such events as a special reception at Council 48, AFSCME had its own chance to thank one of its own.

Old buddy Bob Peter of United Auto Workers Region 4 surprises Mary Hawkins with an honor and a hug at the United Way Rally.

The surprise tributes started swooping down on the Hawk at the Labor Kick-Off Rally for the United Way Community Campaign at the Hyatt Hotel in mid-September.

Mary E. Hawkins has been affectionately called Hawk since she was elected a union steward in 1974 after participating in the United Auto Workers strike at Master Lock.

She confessed in an interview after the dinner and rally that she thought "I might be getting a plaque or something," once she was placed at the head table with United Way and labor dignitaries in a ballroom filled with representatives from the most active and award-winning union groups that help the United Way.

Instead, she was showered with flowers, memories, multiple mementoes and compliments by the entire Milwaukee labor community, led by the two unions that most prominently claim her, AFSCME and UAW.

All that forced Hawkins back to the podium three times to express her thanks -- "and to this day I worry that I didn’t say all that I really wanted about how I couldn’t have done this without my husband and my children, who practically grew up at union meetings and on picket lines," she said.

The main message she got was "You belong to all of us." For 18 years, Hawkins has held a busy and very public position -- labor liaison for AFL-CIO Community Services. "I may have paid dues to UAW and AFSCME, but all the unions claimed me," she said, "and that was such a wonderful compliment. Because if you don’t have rapport with people, you can’t do this job."

Richard Abelson congratulates Hawkins.

Mike Bink, president of UAW’s Local 469, explained from the podium how his local felt as if Hawkins hadn’t really left 18 years ago, since so many of its leaders were nurtured and trained by her.

Longtime friend Bob Peter, business representative for UAW Region 4, recounted how important her community services work for the Region proved to be, establishing such projects as the donor organ program and various other community services.

Dan Welch, chair of the Community Services Committee for the Milwaukee County Labor Council, spoke of her years with United Way and her AFSCME local 1954, detailing her amazing "capacity for caring," how central she was in establishing the SHARE food program, now a statewide food co-op, and how vital in creating a center that is now a national example of how to handle dislocated workers.

In leaving her job, Hawkins is also resigning a multiplicity of labor positions -- as executive board member of AFSCME District Council 48, as president of her local, which represents rehabilitation and social service workers, including United Way, Catholic Charities, Milwaukee Center for Independence and other community and charitable entities -- and her leadership role with the labor arm of United Way.

She resigned to spend more time with her family, "but I’ll be around," said Hawkins.

For instance, she’s hanging on to one elected community position, president of the board of directors of the Milwaukee Access Telecommunications Authority, which oversees cable access channels for the community. Hawkins for several years was also visible on-air as a host of "Helping Hands," a once-weekly, now bimonthly program that conducts interviews on union, United Way and community events.

"MATA is at a crucial stage," she said, "and public access is the only place that labor can put out the word."

"Giving up titles doesn’t mean I’m giving up the causes."

A special AFSCME party reunited Hawkins (center) with her "special team" at Local 1954: From left, Jan Ellen Emanuelson, Nevada Davis, Zela Brooks and staff rep Penni Secore.