Oct 19, 2023 - CWAers Fight to Stop Call Center Shutdowns and other news

Piedmont Airlines

The CWA bargaining committee met with Piedmont Airlines last week to exchange proposals and continue fighting for a strong contract for passenger service agents that secures a livable wage for all in every station. In a bargaining priorities survey earlier this year, members identified higher wages, safety, and paid time off among their top priorities.

Piedmont agents across more than 70 stations from Florida to Alaska are standing up to show the company they are all-in for a fair contract. Click here to view more photos of Piedmont agents mobilizing at stations across the country.

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DIRECTV Customer Care

CWA members who work at DIRECTV Customer Care in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas have reached a tentative agreement with the company. The agreement includes substantial raises, improvements to overtime, and job security commitments for all titles, and it preserves health care and pension benefits.

Details about the agreement are being shared with members and a contract ratification vote will take place in the coming weeks.

Microsoft/Activision Blizzard

Last Friday, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, paving the way for the implementation of CWA’s groundbreaking labor neutrality agreement for workers at the company. Thousands of video game workers will now have a free and fair process for joining CWA.

“It is a new day for workers at Activision Blizzard,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “Over two years ago, workers at Activision Blizzard’s studios captured the country’s attention through walkouts and other protests over discrimination, sexual harassment, pay inequity, and other issues they were facing on the job. Their efforts to form unions were met with illegal retaliation and attempts to delay and block union elections. Now these workers are free to join our union through a fair process, without interference from management. Microsoft’s high-road approach should be the norm across the industry.”

Union members from CWA, SEIU, and UNITE HERE met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava in Miami, Fla., this week to discuss issues facing airline and airport service workers.

James McKnight, president of Local 3146, has worked at Envoy Airlines for over 23 years and raised concerns over the need to provide liveable wages, paid time off, and healthcare to all airport service workers in the U.S.

Airline and airport service workers are the heartbeat of our transportation industry, keeping travel safe, on-time, and accessible. That is why CWA called on the major airline CEOs to ensure good wage and benefit standards in the FAA Reauthorization Act and endorsed the Good Jobs Good Airports Act – both of which will strengthen health and safety protections for airport ground service workers and enhance laws against assaulting passenger service agents.

James McKnight, president of CWA Local 3146, and Lillian Hagen, a Local 3146 member and wheelchair agent at Miami International Airport, (bottom left) with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniela Levine-Cava.

Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act

Last week, CWA members in Michigan took to the halls of the state capitol to lobby for the passage of the Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act and its accompanying registry (SB582/SB583/HB5164/HB5165). The bill would create a list of bad actors who are shutting down call centers in Michigan and sending jobs out of the state. It would prevent those offending companies from being eligible for special tax breaks or grants from the state of Michigan.

While the bill has been introduced multiple times in the past and has not had a hearing, CWA activists are more optimistic about making progress on the bill this year since pro-worker Democrats took control of the state House and Senate in 2022.

CWA members in Michigan at the state capitol lobbying for the passage of the Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act which has been introduced by Senator Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton, top left) and Representative Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw, top right). Participating in the citizen lobby day were (bottom photo, left to right) Jeff Nadolny (CWA Local 4108), Jim Simons (Executive Vice President CWA Local 4009), Jeremy Bain (President, CWA Local 4108), Keith Valko (CWA Local 4008), DeAndre Davis (Executive Vice President CWA Local 4100), Angela Near (CWA Local 4108), and Angie Miller (CWA Local 4108).

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CWAers Turn Out the Vote in Crucial Kentucky Election

CWAers are getting out the vote in Kentucky to defeat attacks on workers’ rights in the state. Governor Andy Beshear has stood with CWA members to fight for workers’ rights and CWAers are coming together to support his re-election effort with phone banks and voter registration drives.

During a virtual CWA phone bank last week, Gov. Beshear thanked CWA volunteers for their efforts and reiterated his support for working families in Kentucky.

IUE-CWA members completed a voter registration drive and mobilized voters at the GE plant in Louisville. Members came together to hold empowering conversations on how CWAers can make a difference in local politics and support pro-union champions like Gov. Beshear and others.

On Tuesday, CWA Next Generation Lead Activists hosted both virtual and in-person phone banks in support of Kentucky’s pro-worker governor. IUE-CWA Lead Activist Megan Simpson hosted a virtual phone bank with volunteers calling union households in Kentucky. Britni Cuington, District 6 Lead Activist, hosted 14 volunteers at Local 6215 in Dallas, Texas. Axel Hawkins, PHEW-CWA Lead Activist, hosted volunteers at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga., including members of United Campus Workers-Georgia and College Democrats of Georgia.

CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton and Vice President Lisa Bolton, Director of the CWA Next Generation Program, welcomed volunteers. “The stakes in this election are so high, not only for Kentucky’s working families, but for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, and young people,” said Vice President Bolton. “Governor Beshear is against Kentucky’s so-called Right-to-Work Law, and we know we can count on him to defend workers’ rights against the radical right-wing lawmakers who control the state’s legislature and are determined to gut our unions.”

Next Gen will host another phone bank on Wednesday, October 25, 6-8 p.m. ET. Volunteers are welcome to join.

IUE members register voters at the GE plant in Louisville, Ky.

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IUE-CWA Members Build Power in Rochester, N.Y.

IUE-CWA Local 81381 in Rochester, N.Y., recently held a successful Political Action Fund (PAF) drive, signing up nearly 200 new contributors while ensuring that members know which candidates are on their side this November.

Local 81381, also known as the Monroe County Federation of Social Workers, is the oldest public sector social worker union in the United States. Their conversations were centered around why elections matter, and with their upcoming contract negotiations in December, these members understood how important it is to go vote.

"Our membership is directly affected by local elections, and that is why our priority every election cycle is to elect labor-friendly candidates. We must educate our members on who those real labor supporters are. We also have a civic duty to ensure our tax dollars go to programs that impact the most vulnerable community members and that legislation builds up not only working-class but low-income households as well," said IUE-CWA Local 81381 President Christina Christman.

IUE-CWA Local 81381 members signed up nearly 200 new contributors and informed members about which candidates are on their side this November at a Political Action Fund (PAF) drive. Monroe County Executive Adam Bellow (bottom photo) is running for re-election this year and has been a huge supporter of Local 81381 members and their bargaining power.