News

As many state and federal lawmakers try to crush workers' rights, CWA and its allies are rapidly building momentum and networks, as CWA's fourth "virtual town hall" phone call illustrated Tuesday night.

About 2,000 CWA members around the country listened as CWA leaders, AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka and four CWA activists updated campaigns to fight back, including more than 100 May Day events around the country last Sunday that brought together immigrant and workers' rights activists.

The pending AT&T merger with T-Mobile would go a long way toward expanding America's broadband network while improving job security for thousands of T-Mobile workers who finally would have the benefit of union representation, CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill told AT&T shareholders Friday in Little Rock, Ark.

"Our country needs high-speed broadband for economic development, for jobs and to ensure that all Americans have affordable access to the Internet. This merger will help enormously to achieve those goals," Hill said, speaking on behalf of CWA at the company's annual shareholders meeting.

After extremely tough contract battles, TNG-CWA units at Thomson Reuters and The Associated Press have reached tentative agreements that stave off the companies' worst demands and provide some wage and other improvements for Guild members.

"In both cases the companies set out to do real damage to the Guild contracts," TNG-CWA President Bernie Lunzer said. "The units had stiff resolve and became stronger. While some concessions were made, the units reached good agreements in both cases -- proof that unity makes a huge difference."