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March 19, 2009
An independent poll by the Gallup Surveys organization shows
that a majority of Americans support the Employee Free Choice
Act.
Results of the nationwide poll of 1,024 adults were released
on March 17. When asked if they favored a law to "make it easier
for labor unions to organize workers," 53 percent of respondents
said "yes." Only 39 percent were opposed.
Asked how important it is for Congress to pass such a law, 55
percent said it's important, with more than half of those saying
"very important."
"This independent poll again confirms what we know from
previous surveys and what we hear time and again from working
people," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "Working Americans want
a union voice and real bargaining rights but they don't want to
face a grueling campaign of employer harassment and intimidation
to get those rights," he said.
CWA members and leaders, community residents and business
leaders welcomed Vice President Joe Biden to the floor of the
New Flyer bus manufacturing plant in St. Cloud, Minn., for the
second meeting of the White House Task Force on Middle Class
Families. New Flyer, whose employees are members of IUE-CWA
Local 7304, is a leader in the production of hybrid,
low-emission and alternative-fuel buses and other vehicles.
Vice President Biden, with other members of the
Administration's economic team, held a town hall meeting at the
plant to spotlight what can be achieved by President Obama's
economic stimulus program – the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act -- and by companies focusing on creating
quality green jobs.
Dan Rock, president of IUE-CWA Local 7304, and other leaders
of the local were on hand as Vice President Biden took questions
and listened as residents offered their ideas on how to
strengthen the middle class.
CWA President Larry Cohen has pointed out that "New Flyer
shows how investment in green technology can create thriving
businesses and quality jobs." He also noted that "New Flyer is a
leader in another way, by respecting workers' rights to majority
signup for choosing union representation." This same choice
would be restored to all workers by the Employee Free Choice
Act, Cohen noted.
Tim Lovaasen, president of the CWA Minnesota State Council,
said New Flyer "hits all the points President Obama has been
talking about," combining green technology, investment in our
communities, business growth and respect for workers' rights.
Since 2002, the year when New Flyer recognized the workers'
decision for union representation, employment at the company has
grown steadily.
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| Hundreds of CWA members from District 9
locals rallied for a quality contract at the state
capitol in Sacramento. Speaking is CWA Local 9423 President Dan
Rodriguez. |
Leafleting, rallies, "Tap on Tuesdays" and lots of other
actions are underway at AT&T nationwide, as CWA members show
their support for CWA bargaining teams and their
determination to win contracts that maintain quality jobs and
quality benefits. The six contracts cover 125,000 workers in
every district and, with the exception of AT&T Southeast
(former BellSouth), expire Apr. 4. The AT&T Southeast
contract expires Aug. 6, but early bargaining is underway
there.
Here's a roundup of some actions:
More than 100 members rallied outside the AT&T building
in Cleveland while hundreds of California CWAers joined rallies
in front of the Federal Building in San Francisco, the
Stockton Courthouse, and at AT&T operations in Fresno, with
more planned for next week. A big crowd of CWAers took the
quality contract message to the steps of the state Capitol in
Sacramento.
Local 9400 has a full schedule of mobilization actions,
including rallies outside garages, practice picketing and
walking into work in unison. At inside operations, members are
wearing black and black band-aids on Thursdays.
In Amarillo, Tex., members of Local 6128 stand up together at
their work places at 10 am, 2 pm and 4 pm. Local 6150
members do the same and use their clickers to really get
management's attention. "Tap on Tuesday" is a big mobilization
hit among Local 6151 members, who tap "every hour on the hour
for at least 30 seconds." Throughout District 6 members are
wearing black on Fridays and red on Thursdays.
For a full roundup of events, go to www.cwa-att.com.
AFA-CWA applauded President Obama's nomination of Linda
Puchala, a former flight attendant and union member, to head the
National Mediation Board.
AFA-CWA International President Patricia Friend said
Puchala's experience and "commitment to workers' rights and to
the collective bargaining process will help to restore the
integrity of this vital federal agency." AFA-CWA urged the
Senate to quickly confirm Puchala's nomination.
"We look forward to working with Ms. Puchala to ensure that
the National Mediation Board adheres to its mission of
protecting employees' right to organize without interference or
influence from the employers and their multi-million dollar
anti-worker campaigns," Friend added.
Last week, more than 100 flight attendants from United,
Northwest and Delta met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill
and urged them to confirm an NMB chair who will protect workers'
rights under labor laws covering flight attendants and other
workers in the transportation sector.
Currently, Puchala serves as senior mediator with the NMB and
has more than 30 years of experience in labor relations. She
served as AFA president from 1979-1986.
A majority of the more than 100 AT&T Mobility
workers at the company's new customer care center in Wheeling,
West Virginia, have chosen to join CWA through majority
sign up, reports District 2 Vice President Ron Collins.
In the campaign for CWA representation, health care
costs and lack of a voice were key issues. Workers were
assisted by Local 2006 President Debra Shepherd, in
Wheeling; Local 2204 organizer Lea Kennedy, Norton,
Va.; District 2 CWA Representative Elaine Harris, and
District 2 Organizing Coordinator Richard Verlander.
"The workers' inside organizing committee did an amazing
job of leading the campaign during a period of uncertainly,
contract negotiations and the current economic crisis,"
said Verlander. The company plans to hire an additional 300
employees at the center.
Negotiations between NABET-CWA and NBC Universal resumed this
week.
NABET-CWA President John S. Clark said it wasn't clear that
NBC Universal was serious about reaching a new agreement, citing
several examples of the company's attempt to cut quality jobs
and benefits. Clark pointed out that NBC is attempting to
create a new non-union represented position at its owned
stations that incorporates the work that NABET-CWA members have
been doing for decades, but without overtime pay or job
security.
NBC also announced plans to close some operations in New York
and Burbank, Calif., and to transfer some work to a non-union
facility in New Jersey, Clark said.
NABET-CWA Locals have filed unfair labor charges and unit
clarification petitions with the National Labor Relations Board
and have put NBC Universal on notice that workers will mobilize
and fight for a fair and equitable contract. The contract
between NABET-CWA and NBC Universal is set to expire at midnight
on March 31.
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