Communications Workers of America | E-Activist Newsletter

CWA delegates move forward on Ready for the Future Phase 3.

CWA convention delegates again voted to move CWA forward and adopted several changes that will support every level of CWA in building our union. That action continues the work of the Ready for the Future plan that CWA began in 2005.

Delegates, in a roll call vote, approved a biennial schedule for CWA conventions that will take effect in 2011, allowing CWA to put more resources into frontline representation. Delegates voted new provisions to handle appeals, elections and other issues, ensuring that CWA will remain the most democratic union in the labor movement.

The convention approved the merger of District 2 and 13, and effective next year, 50,000 CWAers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia will be part of District 2-13. Local union members and leaders in both districts had strongly endorsed the merger, along with vice presidents Ron Collins, D2, and Ed Mooney, D13.

"I am proud of everyone in District 13 for making this merger possible. Local leaders did not hesitate in taking action they knew would better serve members' and our union's best interest," Mooney said.

"Members in District 2 and 13 have shown that they are ready for the future by embracing change when it is necessary to strengthen our union. All sides of the CWA triangle are strengthened by our taking this step to unite our two districts," Collins said.

Delegates also voted to combine the Communications and Technologies and the Telecommunications offices, creating a new office with a single vice president. Both C and T Vice President Ralph Maly and Telecommunications Vice President supported the merger.

Maly pointed out that the two sectors already had been working together closely for several years, "a real plus for our members." Gurganus said the merger would make the sector even stronger and able to build more bargaining power for members.

Delegates also voted to give CWA's Canadian director a vote on the Executive Board. The director of CWA/SCA, currently Arnold Amber, was added to the executive board in 2008.

'It's Not Hopeless, Just Hard, and We've Done Hard Before'

Watch Cohen's full address here, including the remarks by Arkansas Lt. Governor Bill Halter who with CWA members' support nearly defeated incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln.

"CWAers and working families are living through some tough times. But we need to keep our eyes on the prize, hold on to our values, our union and our movement at a critical and difficult time. It's not hopeless, just hard. And we've done hard before.

"New coalition action is critical to rebuilding our movement. With 7 percent bargaining coverage in the private sector, labor alone cannot move our agenda. Fortunately, others pushing for change realize they need partners as well. Civil rights, environmental groups, community organizations, immigrant rights groups, more than 170 groups in all, are working together under the banner of "One Nation" and our Board has endorsed and joined along with the AFL-CIO.

"Our strategy of independent political action also means that we develop new allies. In addition to 'One Nation' and NAACP, we are working with the Sierra Club to bring one gigabit Internet connections to rural town and their anchor institutions - schools, hospitals and libraries. We need a combination of public and private sector investment so our members can build, maintain and support the networks of the 21st century.

"We're asking this convention to send a clear signal to the U.S. Senate - stand with us for democracy and workers' rights and we will stand with you. But if you run for office defending these rules, we will not work for you and we will look for candidates who will work with us.

"And we're moving to build a strong coalition with all these partners and key elected officials to change the archaic Senate rules. The threat of a filibuster keeps blocking majority action on everything. A simple majority of the Senate next January can adopt democratic rules where, after reasonable debate, a majority can act on nominations and on legislation including our priority issues. This is not a revolution, this is just basic fairness and democracy and it is within reach."

Jobs, Speed Matters Among Key Issues CWA Members Raise on Capitol Hill

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is greeted by cheers of "Best Speaker Ever!"

Busloads of CWA members were on Capitol Hill for CWA's Lobby Day, holding more than 140 meetings with members of Congress and staff on jobs, bargaining rights for public safety officers and high-speed broadband access for all Americans.

CWA members who visited Senate offices also raised the critical issue of Senate rule changes to end legislative gridlock that has blocked legislation to help working families.

They got fired up for the visits by an early morning speech by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said CWA's exhaustive work on health care reform proves what can be accomplished by building coalitions and never giving up.

Pelosi described the Democrats' agenda to rebuild American manufacturing, including ending tax breaks for companies that move jobs offshore, pointing out that more jobs already have been created under the Obama administration than had been created during the entire eight-year Bush administration, when 4.6 million manufacturing jobs disappeared.

The Bush era left America "with a deep financial crisis, a deep recession, and deep deficits. Republican members of Congress are signing pledges to protect tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas and other tax breaks for the rich. Democrats are standing up for the middle class - and we are not going back," Pelosi said.

Delegates Embrace 'One Nation' Movement, Oct. 2 March on Washington

One Nation movement plans Oct. 2 March on Washington.

CWA convention delegates pledged to join the growing "One Nation" movement and said they will do everything possible to make the October 2 march on Washington and other events a huge success.

One Nation, first proposed by the NAACP, has grown to include more than 170 labor, civil rights, environmental and progressive groups. "People of progressive and democratic values must reset the national political narrative and profoundly influence the national political climate. Americans need a wake-up call," delegates said. Locals and allies will be encouraged to participate in One Nation events, and delegates resolved to support "a core political agenda that encompasses the One Nation march theme: "Putting Americans Back to Work, Bringing America Back Together."

Building sustainable communities: Delegates also voted to continue CWA's work with the Sierra Club and other organizations, to bring one gigabyte broadband service to anchor institutions in communities throughout the United States to build and sustain economic development in rural and lower-income urban communities. This partnership also will fight for good, green jobs and sustainable communities by working for comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation.

Support for constituency groups: CWA delegates acknowledged the important role that the AFL-CIO constituency groups have in building the labor movement among diverse communities. Delegates voted to encourage locals to get involved with the groups and encourage local and members to join. The groups are: the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Pride at Work.

Convention Honors Locals, Districts for Building CWA

CWA Local 1040 President Carolyn Wade and local organizer Connie English accept an organizing award.

Delta flight attendant Toni Weinfurtner, left, and AFA-CWA member Diana Mitcham, a Northwest flight attendant, thank CWAers for their support in organizing campaign.

CWA is an organizing union, and locals and members were recognized for their achievements over the past year. Highlights include:

Organizing at Least 100 Workers: Locals that organized at least 100 workers were Local 1102, Local 2201, Local 2204, Local 32035, Local 3010, Local 4100, Local 4900, Local 6171, Local 7076, Local 7077, Local 7803, Local 27081, Local 27071, Local 37083, Local 9413, and Local 28031.

Special Recognition for Local 1040: Local 1040 in Trenton, N.J., was recognized for being the first local to organize more than 100 workers a year for 15 years, an incredible achievement.

President's Award: Local 4900 received CWA's highest organizing honor for outstanding efforts in organizing more than 500 workers at the former Centennial Communications/AT&T Mobility and two other telecoms. CWA President Larry Cohen praised the local for not giving up despite initial setbacks, but "creating opportunities and acting on them." Within three weeks, the local signed up 232 of the 290 workers, and 154 members signed up for COPE.

Special Internal Organizing Award: District 6 won a special internal organizing award recognizing efforts to organize represented workers who have not yet joined CWA. So far, district and local organizers have signed up 1,920 new union members.

Delta campaign: Toni Weinfurtner, a Delta flight attendant, and Diana Mitcham, an AFA-CWA member from Northwest (now merged with Delta) energize delegates over the campaign to win bargaining rights for all Delta flight attendants. "This election is about opportunity, unity and respect, and that all starts with voting yes," Weinfurtner said.

CWA: Senate Rule Changes Critical to End Legislative Gridlock

CWA delegates called on the United States Senate to eliminate the archaic rules that have blocked critical legislation affecting working families and left important government positions empty because of abuse by the current Senate minority.

CWA and a growing number of unions and other organizations are determined to restore real democracy and end the rules that allow a minority of the Senate to block action.

"As the use of the filibuster has become routine, it has become increasingly rare for the Senate to consider legislation, approve nominations and pass annual appropriations bills," delegates said.

CWA President Larry Cohen noted that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed over 400 bills since January 2009 that will not be considered in the Senate in this term.

"We need to speak truth to power here. There is no hope of any meaningful restoration of private sector bargaining rights as long as we have these Senate rules. But today in the Senate, that bipartisanship is over, and we can't wait for miracles to save our bargaining rights and this labor movement."

T-Mobile Campaign Heats Up

Ado Wilhelm, at podium, and Kornelia Dubbel, tell delegates that ver.di is determined to help CWA and T-Mobile USA workers who want a union.

CWA delegates voted strong support for T-Mobile USA workers who are fighting for bargaining rights, and applauded the actions of ver.di, the union for T-Mobile workers in Germany that is working with CWA to end the double standard at the company.

CWA and ver.di have formed TU, a new global union that will represent workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Ado Wilhelm, divisional director of mobile communications for ver.di, and Kornelia Dubbel, works councilor for Deutsche Telekom Customer Service, told delegates that ver.di and others in Germany "are appalled at the way this company is suppressing union rights."

"The German management board keeps claiming that T-Mobile USA's actions are in line with U.S. labor laws, but we can assure you that no one in the world believes this any more."

Wilhelm and Dubbel leafleted outside a T-Mobile call center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "We were kicked off the property, the doors were locked, as if they were afraid that we would storm the call center," they said. Then the police were called. But "experiences like this in Fort Lauderdale only encourage us to work harder together. T-Mobile is afraid of CWA," they said.

Wilhelm and Dubble also met with T-Mobile techs in New York, and one tech from New York bravely addressed the convention, despite the company's hard-line against union activity.

Rechenbach, Hill: CWA Activists Building Our Union

CWA Sec.-Treas. Jeff Rechenbach and EVP Annie Hill talk union building.

Building CWA was the focus of remarks by both Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Rechenbach and Executive Vice President Annie Hill.

Rechenbach outlined the financial state of the union and told delegates that CWA's Ready for the Future plan was a critical part of moving CWA forward, especially in the difficult economic times that our members, our union and all working families are facing. He applauded delegates for taking bold action on the RFF Phase 3 initiatives as a way to strengthen CWA and do what it takes to restore bargaining rights for American workers.

"Our nation desperately needs a revitalized and reenergized labor movement, not just for the sake of our survival, but for the sake of our overall economy. We cannot sit by and watch the tide of wealth continue to stream away from working class families and into the hands of the super wealthy," he said.

Hill, who oversees CWA's political and legislative work, said 1,300 CWA members from 101 locals in 22 states have signed on as Legislative Political Action Team, or LPAT, members. And in 272 vital congressional districts across the country, CWA members have been tapped for the union's Legislative Strike Force, a team that's doubled in size since March.

"These are people who know their member of Congress closely enough to call them within 48 hours and personally talk about issues important to working families," Hill said. "We will continue to make sure that no one in Congress can vote on an issue that matters to us without having to think of the face and name of a CWA member."

Two VPs, Canadian Director Sworn in at Convention

NABET-CWA President Jim Joyce and CWA District 7 President Mary Taylor take the oath of office after being elected to full terms by the delegates they represent.

Below, President Cohen swears in CWA Canadian Director Arnold Amber as a voting member of CWA's Executive Board, a change approved by convention delegates.

CWA Vice Presidents Mary Taylor, District 7, and Jim Joyce, NABET-CWA were elected to full terms and sworn as members of the Executive Board by CWA President Larry Cohen.

Taylor was elected by acclamation by District 7 delegates. Joyce won more than 90 percent of the votes in the election held by NABET-CWA delegates.

CWA/SCA Canadian director Arnold Amber also was sworn in; convention delegates voted to give the Canadian director a vote on the Executive Board.

Electeds, Officials Pledge Support for Workers

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) fires up delegates. Right is Local 33225 President and at-large Executive Board member Nestor Soto.

Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) talked about how important it is that Congress support workers and workers' rights, especially when it comes to mergers, corporate bankruptcies and financial bailouts. Watch Gutierrez's remarks here.

Representative Sander Levin, D-Michigan, who heads the House Ways and Means Committee, told delegates that he will stand with working families against unfair trade agreements, like the proposed trade pact with Korea. Watch Levin's full remarks here.

Other speakers included Mark Pearce, a newly confirmed member to the National Labor Relations Board; Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; and Jon Soltz, the co-founder and chairman of Vote Vets.

Delegates Adopt Ready for the Future 'Phase 3'

'It's Not Hopeless, Just Hard, and We've Done Hard Before'