News

Contributions to CWA-COPE, the union's political education fund increased $400,000 in 2003 to $2.7 million, setting a new one-year record at a time when the union's political influence is critical.

Executive Vice President Larry Cohen is advocating a three-pronged approach to building CWA: training for the jobs of the future, organizing the jobs of today and working for legislation to bring collective bargaining rights to every American worker.

Johnson Technology illegally fired a Michigan worker who supported an IUE-CWA organizing drive, an administrative law judge ruled in August, acting on a National Labor Relations Board complaint.

CenturyTel workers in Arkansas, members of Local 6171, have ratified a contract that will raise their wages by 11 percent over three years.

"The union's bargaining committee did an outstanding job under very trying circumstances," Telecommunications Vice President Jimmy Gurganus said.

The U.S. House and a powerful Senate committee dealt a sharp blow to the Bush administration in September, voting to reverse new rules that could strip millions of workers of their right to overtime pay.