'Climate Change is Real, Urgent, and 100 Percent an Issue for Working People'

CWAers joined a crowd of more than 200,000 in Washington, D.C., who marched for jobs, justice, and climate action on April 28. More than 200 CWA members joined the D.C. event, with buses coming from Virginia and other East Coast communities. Actions and rallies were held in 370 other locations across the country.

At a labor rally ahead of the D.C. march, CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens told demonstrators, "At CWA, we understand that climate change is real, it is urgent, and it is 100 percent a working people's issue. The same greedy corporations who ruined our economy and stole our democracy want to destroy our land, poison our water, and pollute the very air we breathe. We are not going to let corporate America steal our children’s future."

Steffens was joined by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and other union leaders. Sandra Cohen, vice president of CWA Local 1036 in New Jersey, said she has worked for 30 years at the Department for Environmental Protection to stop the assault of corporate interests on public policy.

"The same powers that attack unions and public workers are the ones denying climate change. But we know better and that’s why we've joined this national movement to protect our planet and create good union jobs," she said.

Also last week, CWA President Chris Shelton and SEIU's Henry co-authored an op-ed on climate change for Medium.

CWAers joined a crowd of more than 200,000 in Washington, D.C., who marched for jobs, justice, and climate action on April 28.