News

After 261 days on the picket line, members of the Youngstown Newspaper Guild in Ohio narrowly accepted a new 3-year contract Aug. 3 and returned to work at The Vindicator newspaper.

As the CWA News went to press, contract negotiations on behalf of 25,000 CWA-represented workers at Qwest Communications were continuing past the Aug. 13 contract expiration. Meanwhile, members were stepping up mobilization activities throughout District 7 to fight for a fair contract.

In writing my final column, as I prepare to step down as your president at this month's CWA convention, it would be tempting to reminisce. But this isn't a time to look backward. Our movement is in trouble.

In a week marked by the decision of three unions to withdraw from the AFL-CIO, delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention voted for big changes that will strengthen organizing, legislative and political activities and the labor movement overall.

The House handed President Bush a victory on CAFTA, but lawmakers who voted for the treaty may see a reprisal from organized labor when they run for reelection.