Sep 10, 2020 - Remembering 9/11

This week, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris announced the steps that they will take to stop outsourcing, including a series of executive actions during their first days in office.

Biden and Harris plan to fix the tax code so that corporations will face a penalty on any profits earned by a United States company from overseas production. This penalty will apply to call centers and manufacturing. In addition, companies will be eligible for a tax credit for making investments that create jobs.

Biden will also sign a series of executive actions during his first week in office to expand "Buy American" rules for federally-funded projects and crack down on companies that falsely label products "Made in America."

Although President Trump has frequently talked about ending offshoring, he has not only failed to follow through on his promises to bring back good jobs, but he has also actively encouraged companies to send jobs overseas. His 2017 corporate tax cut bill lowered taxes for companies on profits from overseas manufacturing and service facilities. The Biden-Harris plan will close that loophole.

Early in his administration, a group of Senators asked Trump to issue an executive order to prevent federal contracts from going to companies that send call center jobs overseas. Trump refused to issue the order.

"We've called on Trump to take executive action, time and time again," said CWA President Chris Shelton. "In fact, I went to the Oval Office and asked him myself. But what did he do about it? Nothing at all. Actually, it's even worse than that – he gave companies a 50% tax break on their overseas profits, giving them a huge incentive to move call centers and other facilities out of the country."

"IUE-CWA members have experienced first-hand having employers close the doors and move jobs overseas," said IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew. "Trump's tax bill gave companies a 50% off coupon for moving their money and jobs overseas. That's why I'm glad that we have a candidate like Biden who is serious about reinvigorating American manufacturing and has a strong plan to create millions of new jobs to rebuild our economy."

In a letter released this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko called on General Electric CEO Lawrence Culp to "take all steps necessary" to stop the outsourcing of jobs from GE's Schenectady plant to Poland.

GE has announced plans to transfer 45 jobs from Schenectady. GE was founded in Schenectady, and workers at the plant build turbines and generators that are critical components of America's power grid.

"We are extremely concerned about the impact that this transfer of work will have on the short and long term viability of the Schenectady plant," the lawmakers wrote. "Needless to say, the news of both the transfer of work and anticipated layoffs is deeply troubling to all who care about the economy in upstate New York."

"This is about more than 45 jobs," said Chris DePoalo, Business Agent for IUE-CWA Local 81301 in Schenectady. "We see this outsourcing of key national electrical grid work as the tip of the iceberg. Historically, GE has started with shipping a small unit of jobs overseas, and then progressed to outsourcing full product lines. We are convinced GE's current plan to move work to Poland threatens the very stability and sustainability of GE's Schenectady operations."

Researchers at Cornell University plan to conduct an in-depth study of the production practices at the plant. The lawmakers are urging GE to cooperate with the researchers in order to improve efficiencies at the plant and keep jobs in New York.

In just three weeks, tens of thousands of aviation workers, including AFA-CWA members and passenger service agents, will lose their jobs unless Congress extends the CARES Act Payroll Support Program (PSP). State and local governments are facing massive deficits, threatening CWA members' jobs and the public services we all rely on, and the news industry is fighting for survival, even as readers are turning to local news outlets in record numbers in search of accurate, up-to-the-minute information about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their communities.

But instead of acting quickly to pass a bill to extend payroll protection, provide aid to state and local governments, and give local media outlets access to relief programs, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has left those items out of the bill he is pushing through the Senate this week.

Many Republican Senators support extending the PSP program to save aviation jobs, but if they don't stand up to McConnell, layoffs will begin on October 1 and thousands of working families will be left without an income and healthcare this fall.

CWA President Chris Shelton and CWA members spoke on a town hall call last week about the impact of the pandemic and what we can do to force the Senate to pass legislation to save jobs.

Listen to the town hall here.

Take action to save jobs at cwa-union.org/heroes.

AFA-CWA members and allies rallied on Capitol Hill this week to call on Congress to act now to extend the PSP program and save thousands of aviation jobs.

With fewer than 60 days until Election Day, a historic new coalition this week, including CWA, launched the #SaveTheVote campaign to safeguard this year's elections. The goal of the campaign is to provide clear, accurate information about voting to the American people and counter President Trump's and the Republican Party's relentless and unprecedented voter suppression efforts and attacks on the right to vote during the pandemic.

"Our members understand the importance of voting," said Shane Larson, CWA's Senior Director for Government Affairs and Policy. "At this critical time for our country, CWA members are ready to do their part to ensure that everyone who wants to vote understands how to do so safely and reliably. It's shameful that President Trump and his Republican allies are undermining the most fundamental process in a Democracy – casting a ballot in a free and fair election."

Click here to get the information you need to make your plan to vote: cwa.org/vote.

As we come upon the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, CWA honors our members who were killed in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., as well as those who have died in the years since as a result of 9/11-related illnesses. Their memory will never be forgotten.

Were you affected by 9/11? The World Trade Center Health Program, the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), and other benefits programs can help. Learn more here.