News

District 1, IUE-CWA and nine locals nationwide are winners in CWA's fall contest to encourage members to donate to CWA COPE to support pro-union, pro-worker political candidates and campaigns. The contest, which ran from Sept. 14 to Nov. 25, raised $45,000 in additional annual donations to COPE.

It was an especially tough call in 2009. Who among the greedy banks and gluttonous CEOs was the biggest Scrooge? That may be why online voters in the annual Jobs with Justice contest decided the most cold-hearted of all was the umbrella organization for greed, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

CWA and CWA/NETT have been awarded a $4 million training grant to help dislocated workers train for clean, green energy and manufacturing jobs. Less than 15 percent of grant proposals submitted were selected to receive a grant; CWA was awarded one of just 25 grants total. The grants are funded by the Obama administration's economic stimulus program.

As 2009 came to a close, more than 150 workers joined CWA through organizing campaigns in Districts 1, 2 and 7. In New York, a majority of the professionals at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital and Sterling Medical gained representation with CWA Local 1168 after a majority signed union authorization cards. The workers will be covered under CWA's master agreement at Kaleida Health.

Across our union, CWAers can make a difference and help save jobs at New Era Cap Company. The challenge: Stop the shutdown of one of two remaining New Era facilities in Demopolis, Ala., and Derby, N.Y. CWA represents workers at both locations; New Era now is shutting its Jackson, Ala., plant.