News

CWA told the Federal Communications Commission that it supports steps to protect an open Internet consistent with the need to promote investment in the nation's high-speed networks and create jobs.

CWA leadership, locals and our members have led the opposition to the excise tax. From the start, CWA leaders made it clear that a tax on workers' health care was the wrong way to finance health care reform. We fought against this plan in the Senate and supported our friends in the House of Representatives who outlined better ways to finance health care reform. We supported Connecticut House Representative Joe Courtney in obtaining 190 signatures on a letter opposing the excise tax.

CWA President Larry Cohen and other union presidents have been in marathon discussions at the White House this week to find a fair way to finance health care reform. Cohen and leaders from about 10 unions plus the AFL-CIO and Change to Win met with President Obama and White House staff several times this week, with sessions lasting for many hours and past midnight.

Laid-off workers will be able to keep their group health insurance from former employers at a subsidized rate under a new law signed by President Obama. Last year, the Obama administration's job stimulus program included a COBRA subsidy of 65 percent of the health care premium costs for laid-off workers for up to nine months. That program was set to expire Dec. 31, but has been extended and improved.

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.