News

As the bargaining team breaks today to attend CWA National Convention, Locals continue to turn up the heat on mobilization.

In just six days, 2,500 CWA members will converge on Capitol Hill to make sure Congress gets the message: it's time to pass Employee Free Choice and real health care reform.

Low wages, poor benefits and job security in a bad economy were major factors in the organizing victory by parking lot attendants at WallyPark, an airport parking lot near Denver International Airport. The workers also wanted a union so they would be treated with dignity and respect. More than 70 percent are immigrants and faced unfair treatment by their employer. Unity and a strong inside organizing committee made the difference in blocking a nasty anti-union campaign, and the vote for CWA representation was 32-11. Workers were supported by District 7 organizing coordinator Al Kogler and Local 7717 President Tommy Costello.

American Rights at Work is focusing public attention on the hypocrisy of Big Business which demands arbitration to resolve all kinds of disputes, but opposes it for negotiating first contracts with workers.

Michael J. Copps, acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, will receive the Herbert Block Freedom Award from The Newspaper Guild-CWA for his work to force debate and transparency over media consolidation.