DECEASED — Retired Sixth District International Representative Richard “Rick” Gessler, a leader in the Telecommunications branch for more than three decades, died on Oct. 28. He was 73.

“Rick always meant what he said and didn’t back down,” said Downers Grove, Ill., Local 21 Business Manager Paul Wright, a longtime friend who considered Gessler a mentor. “You could debate things with him, but one of his favorite go-tos was ‘Read the book.’ That meant the [IBEW] constitution, the collective bargaining agreement or whatever you were debating.

“He did his homework and was very deliberate in that way and was never afraid,” Wright added. “He wasn’t out there to insult you, but he wasn’t out there to appease you, either.”

A native of Evanston, Ill., Brother Gessler joined Downers Grove Local 336 when he was hired as a telephone installer by Illinois Bell in 1971.

He served as chief steward from 1989 to 1992, business representative from 1992 to 2000 and Local 21’s assistant business manager and vice president from 2000-2005. Local 336 and four other Illinois telecommunications locals were amalgamated into Local 21 in 1998.

Gessler encouraged Wright to become a steward after Wright, a mechanic for Ameritech, narrowly avoided serious injury during an accident on the job in 1991.

The respect Gessler had from Local 336’s membership was evident from the start, even though he never served as business manager, Wright said. He remembers one moment involving Ameritech, a forerunner to AT&T. The company wanted to fire an IBEW-represented employee who had recently returned from sick leave and was just a few months from being eligible for his 30-year pension.

“He wasn’t out there to insult you, but he wasn’t out to appease you either.” 

_{– Downers Grove, Ill., Local 21 Business Manager Paul Wright}

Gessler put the word out about what was happening. The following Monday, nearly all 770 Local 336 members that were part of the Ameritech bargaining unit didn’t show up for work.

The situation was resolved to the satisfaction of the affected employee and local by noon that day, Wright said.

“Both sides (labor and management) had a keen respect for him because he could do things like that,” said Wright, who also serves as chairman of the T-3 AT&T System Council.

Gessler moved to the Sixth District office in 2005, where he serviced locals in broadcasting and railroad in addition to telecommunications.

Retired Sixth District International Vice President David Ruhmkorff, whose background was in construction, said Gessler made his transition to the district staff much easier. Ruhmkorff became an international representative himself in 1994 before serving as international vice president from 2015-22.

“Rick was a true trade unionist,” Ruhmkorff said.

“We partnered very well during steward training in the newly formed Local 21,” he added. “He had a lot of respect from the membership and added a lot of credibility for me. When he spoke, you could tell people really listened to what he had to say. Our friendship just blossomed from there.”

Ruhmkorff said Gessler always pushed back against the notion that telecommunications was a dying industry. Instead, it was continually changing due to technology. IBEW members must be doing the work brought about by that change.

“That’s what Rick helped me understand,” Ruhmkorff said. “It [the work] may be done by something else, but it’s our work. We were able to claim that.”

Gessler retired in 2015. In addition to his meticulous work ethic, he was almost as well known for his love of cars. He was an auto racing fan and was constantly working on some kind of motor — whether it was in a car, boat or tractor.

He died due to complications from an autoimmune disease he battled for many years. He is survived by his wife, Mary, his high school sweetheart; two children; and four grandchildren.

He was a graduate of Roosevelt University’s Labor Education Center, which later became part of DePaul University. Wright and several other Local 21 leaders have followed his lead and graduated from the program.

“He’s what the union should be,” Wright said. “Fight for someone who needs someone to fight for them. Just a rock-solid guy.”

The officers and staff salute Brother Gessler’s service to the Brotherhood and send their condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.