The COVID-19 pandemic and the protests against police brutality that have swept the United States continue to affect the political landscape. There has never been a more important time for us to gather together to discuss how we can build worker power and engage as many CWA members and retirees as possible in the fight for justice and democracy. The legislative response to the pandemic and the 2020 elections will shape our country for decades to come.
Read CWA's fact sheets by following the links on the left (or below if you are on your phone).
Read CWA's Congressional scorecard here.
The preliminary schedule of events appears below. If you wish to attend any of the events, please register at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5636226/2020-CWA-Online-Legislative-Political-Conference-Registration.
2020 CWA Legislative-Political Conference
Building Worker Political Power in a Time of Crisis
Schedule of Events
Monday, 6/8, 6:00 p.m. EDT
Leading the Fight for Change
- Keynote Address: CWA President Chris Shelton
- Welcome: CWA District 4 Vice President and Legislative-Political Committee Chair Linda L. Hinton
- CWA’s Legislative Priorities: CWA Government Affairs Director Dan Mauer
- Q&A
Tuesday, 6/9, 6:00 p.m. EDT
Bye, Bye Mitch: How We Will Win Back the U.S. Senate Majority for Working Families
- Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley: Introductory Remarks
- Panel Discussion with CWA Activists
Wednesday, 6/10, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Broadband for All: Universal Access and Good Jobs for our Communities
- Brian Thorn, CWA Strategic Research Associate
- CWA Activists
Wednesday, 6/10, 5:00 p.m. EDT
Building Power to Help Dismantle Racism
- Ian Haney Lopez, author of Merge Left: Fusing Race and Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America
- CWA Activists
- Maurice Mitchell, Executive Director of the Working Families Party
- People’s Action Leader TBD
Wednesday, 6/10, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Dispatch from the Frontlines: Gambling with Workers' Lives
Hosted by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center
- Featuring an activist from Maximus working to organize with CWA
- Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA)
Thursday, 6/11, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Why we must elect Joe Biden as President
Roundtable
- CWA President Chris Shelton
- CWA Activists
Friday, 6/12, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Responding to the Crisis: Expanding Paid Leave, Unemployment Benefits and Workers’ Rights
Panel Discussion
- CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens: Moderator
- Representative Ro Khanna
- New York State Senator Jessica Ramos
- Heidi Shierholz, Senior Economist/Policy Director, Economic Policy Institute
- Jocelyn Frye, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
- Billy Gallagher, CWA District 1 Area Director