Jun 20, 2019 - It's The Summer of #NoMoreOffshoring

After years of hard work, the New York Call Center Jobs Act, sponsored by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, has passed in the New York Assembly by a count of 93-19, and will head to the Governor to be signed!

CWA members spent months of campaigning to help pro-worker Democrats take over the State Senate last year and months more of lobbying, calling, and writing postcards to legislators, rallying, and holding press conferences to finally get the legislation over the finish line.

The bill contains strong protections for call center jobs in New York. It ends tax breaks for companies that ship at least 30% of their workforce out of state and requires state agencies to ensure that all business-related call center work is performed by companies located in New York.

CWA members worked hard to pass the New York call center bill, including lobbying, calling, and writing postcards to legislators, rallying, and holding press conferences to get the legislation over the finish line.

Employees at BuzzFeed News walked out of the newsroom on June 17 and rallied outside the publication's New York office to demand union recognition.

Four months ago, BuzzFeed Editor in Chief Ben Smith claimed management looked forward to meeting with organizers "to discuss a way toward voluntarily recognizing their union."

Instead, management has refused to recognize the bargaining unit that employees have proposed, and is pushing for a far narrower scope of eligibility for the union.

BuzzFeed employees were joined at the rally by NewsGuild members at the New York Times, New Republic, Reuters, Law360, Ziff Davis Creators Guild and others, as well as Scabby, the inflatable rat that is a fixture at labor rallies in and around the city. Walkouts were also held at BuzzFeed's offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Employees at BuzzFeed News walked out of the newsroom on June 17 and rallied outside the publication's New York office to demand union recognition.

At the 2019 Public Sector Conference in Memphis this week, CWAers heard from CWA President Chris Shelton and CWA Public Sector Vice President Brooks Sunkett about how public workers can fight back against vicious anti-union attacks at the state level and nationally. CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens also attended the conference.

"Powerful, reactionary forces are now targeting public sector unions as the next battleground in their class war," said Shelton. "Despite their attacks, we are growing CWA Stronger. The entire union rallied for the public sector during the Janus attack to protect our members. We have to keep our focus on moving our working family agenda forward to provide a better life for all workers. We cannot let anyone divide us using the color of our skin or the land of our forefathers. We must unite and fight for a bigger piece of the economic pie – not fight among ourselves for crumbs!"

Shelton recognized the efforts of CWAers in Texas who are organizing despite not having collective bargaining rights and who successfully stopped the anti-union effort to eliminate payroll deduction, as well as TSEU's organizing blitz during which they signed up more than 300 new members with the help of CWA Locals 1038 and 1040. Shelton also highlighted members of UPTE-CWA Local 9119 as they fight for a fair contract and build their membership; CWAers in Iowa who, because of anti-union laws, have to vote annually to retain their union; members of CWA Locals 3180, 3181, and 3170 who boosted membership in the face of anti-union attacks; United Campus Workers for growing and spreading energy throughout the South; and more.

The conference attendees also held a Fight for $15 rally at the University of Memphis to support raising the minimum wage.

At the 2019 Public Sector Conference in Memphis this week, CWAers heard from CWA President Chris Shelton and CWA Public Sector Vice President Brooks Sunkett (left) about how public workers can fight back against vicious anti-union attacks at the state level and nationally.

This week, CWA members are launching "The Summer of #NoMoreOffshoring," a program to fight back against job instability, corporate tax loopholes, and the trade deals that harm working people.

CWA members' efforts will focus on the recently introduced U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 3219 and S.1792) to protect call center jobs, the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing (H.R.1711 and S.780) legislation, and how we can take action to fix the new version of NAFTA, the USMCA. All of these critical fights will be happening throughout the summer! 

Watch our first video focusing on protecting call center jobs from offshoring here:

Save the date for these days of action: Friday, June 28, and Sunday, August 21, along with a National Town Hall Call on July 9.

CWA activists from across the country came together in Washington, D.C., this week for the Poor People's Campaign Moral Action Congress, a three-day gathering of activists, union members, moral leaders, and advocates from more than 40 states to strategize, learn, and build power together. The CWA activists, with the help of CWA's Human Rights Department, will bring the strategy, knowledge, and ideas discussed at the gathering to their respective locals. CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens (left) attended the event with the CWA delegation and led a Labor Luncheon, speaking to union members about how to fight for a better future. This project was made possible by the CWA Poor People's Campaign–Moral Congress Alliance Growth Fund.

AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Sub-Committee on Aviation this week on the status of the Boeing 737 MAX, how it is affecting Flight Attendants and the flying public, and how to safely return the 737 MAX to flight and regain public confidence.

Union Plus has awarded $170,000 in scholarships to 108 students representing 34 unions, including seven winners from CWA. This year's group of scholarship recipients includes university, college, and trade or technical school students from 31 states plus the District of Columbia. Congratulations to the CWA winners!

Nicole Ambrosio of Venice, Fla. Ambrosio, whose father, Michael Ambrosio, is a member of CWA Local 1108, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Taylor Arluck of Rego Park, N.Y. Arluck, who is a member of TNG-CWA Local 31003, has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship.

Jordan Bethea of Sicklerville, N.J. Bethea, whose mother, Maya Bethea, is a member of CWA Local 1000, has been awarded a $2,000 scholarship.

Benjamin Falcon of San Antonio, Texas. Falcon, whose father, Benjamin Falcon, Jr., is a member of CWA Local 6186, has been awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

Dyanna Gutierrez of Suisun City, Calif. Gutierrez, whose father, Christopher McDaniel, is a member of CWA Local 9400, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Sharon Pantano of Medford, N.J. Pantano, whose father, Paul Pantano, is a member of CWA Local 1032, has been awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

David Sadowski of Avon, Ohio. Sadowski, whose father, Dennis Sadowski, is a member of TNG-CWA Local 32035, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Last week, David Ratcliff (right), Secretary-Treasurer of CWA Local 6012 and Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, won the Carl Albert Award, a lifetime achievement award and the Oklahoma Democratic Party's highest honor. CWA District 6 Vice President Claude Cummings, Jr. (left) stated, "District 6 is so proud of David Ratcliff. He has worked tirelessly his whole career in the labor movement, not only for CWA members but also for all Oklahomans who believe they deserve a more just and equitable Oklahoma."