News

  • CWA-Represented AT&T Southwest Mobility Workers Authorize Strike Ahead of Contract Expiration
    AUSTIN, Tex. -- AT&T Southwest Mobility workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America, today authorized a strike, with a vote supported by 98% of workers. The strike authorization comes as CWA's contract with AT&T, covering more than 8,000 Southwest Mobility workers, is set to expire on Friday, February 21, 2020. AT&T workers and union members will continue to work with their current contract in place until Friday, as CWA continues negotiations with AT&T. “AT&T Mobility workers in the Southwest are not afraid to do whatever it takes to make sure that the company invests in its employees so that we can build and support the next generation networks that our communities need,” said Jason Vellmer, a CWA Staff Representative, who is leading the bargaining team. “We have made progress toward a fair contract over the last few days, but several critical issues remain unresolved. This strike authorization vote lets AT&T know that the bargaining team has the full support of our members as we work toward a new contract that protects our healthcare, improves wages, and keeps family-supporting, union jobs in the region.” AT&T workers across the country have been holding the company accountable for its broken promises on jobs and investment. Despite the company’s record cash flow, AT&T has cut 37,818 jobs since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) went into effect in 2018, with 4,040 of those jobs cut in the fourth quarter of 2019 alone. These job cuts follow AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s pledge in 2017 to create 7,000 new jobs and invest in its network if President Trump’s corporate tax cuts passed. Last summer, 20,000 CWA members at AT&T Southeast went on strike after their contract expired, and in 2017, CWA members at AT&T Mobility in 36 states and the District of Columbia joined together in a three-day strike when negotiations stalled. AT&T has continued to cater to the demands of controversial vulture hedge fund Elliott Management, which purchased a small stake in AT&T in September 2019. Elliott is pushing AT&T to extract profits from the company by eliminating jobs, outsourcing work, and divesting critical assets. Elliott has also won a commitment from AT&T to spend $30 billion on stock buybacks, which will drive up its share price to enrich a small group of wealthy investors, leaving fewer resources for building next generation wireless and fiber broadband networks and training workers for the jobs of the future. Credit-rating agency Moody’s has raised concerns that the large cost of the stock buyback plan puts AT&T at risk for a credit downgrade. The current contract for CWA members at AT&T Southwest Mobility covers workers in Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas. ### — Feb 20
  • Communications Workers of America Urges DCCC to End Campaign Support for Democratic House Members Who Voted Against PRO Act
    WASHINGTON - The Communications Workers of America (CWA) this week sent a letter to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Cheri Bustos to urge the Committee to cease providing campaign support to the seven Democratic House Members who voted against final passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The union says that these Democratic members voted against strengthening workers’ rights, a fundamental principle of the Democratic Party, and therefore should not receive campaign support from the DCCC moving forward. The seven Democratic House Members who voted against the PRO Act are: Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Rep. Joe Cunningham (SC-01), Rep. Kendra Horn (OK-05), Rep. Ben McAdams (UT-04), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), and Rep. Kurt Schrader (OR-05). The letter comes after CWA members last week protested outside the offices of Reps. Cuellar, Murphy, and McBath to hold the Members accountable for voting against the PRO Act. “I urge you to deny DCCC services to the seven Members of the House of Representatives who caucus with House Democrats and betrayed working people and America’s Labor Movement by voting against the final passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act,” wrote CWA President Chris Shelton in a letter to DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos. The U.S. House of Representatives last week voted in support of the PRO Act, a historic piece of legislation that would make it easier for workers to join a union, protect strikes and other bargaining activities, and weaken “right-to-work” laws. The legislation passed after tireless work of CWA members and a broad coalition of labor, civil rights, environmental, religious immigrant rights, and women's groups, who fought to ensure that the voices of working people would finally be heard. “The PRO Act is a continuation of the long history of the Democratic Party’s policies to strengthen workers’ voices in the U.S. economy and create a level playing field and an engine for millions of workers to reach the middle class and, therefore, a stable and comfortable life,'' added Shelton. “Those who voted against the PRO Act have betrayed this fundamental principle of the Democratic Party. And due to those votes, it is impossible for CWA to urge our members to support any of these seven candidates. They must be denied the support of the Democratic Party for refusing to stand with working Americans.” The letter outlines how the Democratic Party has long recognized that the ability for workers to organize, join a union, and bargain for their fair share has been critical to building a strong and vibrant middle class. However, corporate special interests are trying to exert their influence and push their anti-worker agenda in the Democratic Party--with the latest example being the Democratic members who voted against the PRO Act. CWA has vowed to defend against these efforts, and hold Democratic members accountable for putting the interests of corporations ahead of the interests of working people. ### — Feb 20
  • U.S. House Passes Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act
    On Thursday, thanks to the tireless work of CWA members and a broad coalition of labor, civil rights, environmental, religious, immigrant rights, and women's groups, the U.S. House passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, historic legislation to make it easier for workers to join a union. "The voices of America's working people are finally being heard," said CWA President Chris Shelton. "Members of Congress are starting to understand that the reason our economy has left so many families behind is that corporations have bent labor law to their will. The PRO Act restores balance to our system by putting power in the hands of working people. It will make it much easier for workers to join a union, and crack down on the dirty tricks that companies use to make workers afraid of taking collective action to improve their lives." Last Wednesday, Jennifer Womack, who has been organizing with her coworkers at a Verizon Wireless call center in Irving, Texas, to join CWA, spoke at a press briefing hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott about how the PRO Act would help her and her coworkers. Speaker Pelosi shared Womack's story during her remarks just prior to the vote on the House floor. "When Jennifer and her coworkers tried to improve working conditions, she was subjected to humiliating retaliation and forced to attend anti-union trainings designed to scare her off," Pelosi said. "She told us, 'I believe the decision to join a union should be up to me and other workers, without having to face threats and retaliation.' Democrats agree." The PRO Act now awaits action by the Senate, where Republican Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has failed to move the bill forward. The Trump administration has indicated that the President would veto the bill. — Feb 13
  • CWA Veterans Fight for the PRO Act
    A group of CWA veterans from across the country came to Washington, D.C., as part of the CWA Veterans for Social Change program last month to tell their stories to members of Congress and talk about the importance of supporting the PRO Act, historic legislation that will put power in the hands of workers and reverse decades of legislation meant to crush unions. Learn more about CWA Veterans for Social change at cwa.org/veterans. — Feb 13
  • CWA and IUE-CWA Members Lobby for Pro-Worker Legislation
    CWA and IUE-CWA members from CWA Locals 3301, 3310, 3312, and 3321 and IUE-CWA Locals 83643, 83701, 83761, and 83766 held a joint lobby day with the Kentucky AFL-CIO to urge their state elected officials to support pro-worker legislation including House Bill 13 to protect call center jobs. — Feb 13