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CWA Makes Our Voice Heard at AFL-CIO Convention

The AFL-CIO Convention this week focused on how working people can "join together, fight together, and win together." In resolutions, workshops, and actions, delegates looked at how unions are standing up to Wall Street and powerful corporate interests, building new partnerships, standing up to hate, and much more.

CWA President Chris Shelton outlined our union's successful strike and fight at Verizon that resulted in real gains for working people. AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka introduced Shelton as a "hardcore trade unionist who knows how to take risks and knows how to win."


CWA President Chris Shelton gives a powerful presentation about our successful Verizon strike. Below, Shelton talks about how labor and allies beat back the TPP. Photo credit: Kaveh Sardari.

In separate remarks, Shelton highlighted the work by CWA, the AFL-CIO, and other unions and a broad coalition that stopped the Trans-Pacific Partnership; talked about our fight to Take on Wall Street, and spoke about the need to expand labor's work in the global economy.

CWA’s delegation included Shelton; CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens; AFA-CWA International President Sara Nelson; CWA D6 Vice President Claude Cummings; CWA Senior Director Yvette Herrera, and AFA-CWA Government Affairs Director Steve Schembs.

Shelton and Nelson were re-elected to the Executive Council. Delegates also re-elected the top officers: President Rich Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, and Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre.

CWA delegates spoke on several critical issues.

Steffens spoke about the need for work and family balance; Nelson addressed the need for tax and budget policies that put the needs of working people first, and Cummings called on labor's political program to hold all candidates and officials, regardless of party, accountable for supporting a pro-worker agenda. Cummings represented CWA at a diversity summit and also joined the Texas delegation in thanking union members for their support to workers devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

Read all the actions taken by the AFL-CIO Convention.


At the AFL-CIO Convention, clockwise from top left: AFA-CWA Intl. President Sara Nelson speaks from the floor on fair trade; CWA Sec.-Treas. Sara Steffens addresses delegates on work and family balance; President Shelton talks about holding Wall Street accountable; Houston delegation with CWA VP Claude Cummings thanks AFL-CIO for helping those hurt by Hurricane Harvey; Fox Business News gets ready to go live; Cummings calls for building our political power. Photo credit: Kaveh Sardari.