Oct 13, 2022 - CWA on the Forefront of Advocating for Fair Scheduling Policies and other news

Members of CWA Locals 14842 and 14827 employed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who went on strike last week in response to unfair labor practices by management, including unilateral changes to their health care plan, are standing strong on the picket line. The striking workers, including members of Teamsters Local 205/211 and Pressmen’s Union GCC/IBT Local 24M/9N, are receiving an outpouring of support from community members, other union workers, labor leaders, and other allies.

Striking workers, members of CWA Locals 14842 and 14827 at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joined by supporters including Allegheny-Fayette County Central Labor Council President Darrin Kelly (center) on the picket line.

McKay’s Books Inc.

Workers at McKay’s Books Inc. in Knoxville, Tenn., who are organizing to form a union with CWA, held a rally with community members and allies to build solidarity and support ahead of the vote count for their union representation election. For decades, the workers have served readers and hobbyists in the community by providing excellent service to customers and ensuring McKay’s reputation as a beloved institution providing access to a wide variety of affordable second-hand books and other forms of entertainment. Unfortunately, this has come at a cost for the workers who are overworked, underpaid, and mistreated. Fed up by the failure of McKay’s owners to recognize the value of their contributions, the workers are organizing as McKay's Knoxville Workers Union-CWA Local 3805 for dignity, respect, and a voice on the job. In their vision statement, the workers have laid out a list of the issues they are seeking to resolve by forming a union and negotiating a fair contract. Read more here.

Workers at McKay’s Knoxville bookstore participated in a rally to build solidarity with community members ahead of the vote count for their union election.

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Park City Mountain Resort

Lift mechanics and electricians at Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah, submitted a petition for a representation election to the National Labor Relations Board, becoming the first group of ski resort mechanics in the country to seek formal union representation. They are organizing as the Park City Lift Maintenance Professional Union under the United Professional Ski Patrols of America (CWA Local 7781). The petition was submitted with the support of eighty percent of the workers. The members of the mechanics team face dangerous work conditions, chronic understaffing, and low pay that is not commensurate with the precarity of their work or cost of living. These issues contribute to constant employee turnover, which makes it impossible to cultivate a crew of experienced mechanics, and their work often goes unappreciated despite being essential to the resort’s functioning. The workers believe that self-advocacy as a union crew will combat these issues, and create a safe and equitable working environment for all. CWA Local 7781 currently represents over 650 ski patrollers in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest, and recently added the Purgatory Resort Bike Patrol to their ranks.

Frontier Communications

CWA members at Frontier Communications in California are ramping up their mobilization efforts to build their strength at the bargaining table as they continue to negotiate a fair contract with the company. Last month, as part of CWA’s nationwide campaign to expose Frontier Communications’ dangerous use of subcontractors, members from CWA Locals 9575, 9003, 9400, and 9588 participated in the latest "Stop Frontier Subcontracting" training held at the CWA District 9 office in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.

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EveryAction/Bonterra

The EveryAction bargaining committee announced that they have reached an agreement with Bonterra (formerly known as EveryAction) on a first contract. EveryAction voluntarily recognized the union in September 2021, after a supermajority of eligible workers signed union authorization cards. The new three-year contract includes $700,000 in wage scale adjustments and standardizations and a 3% annual wage increase. Other significant provisions establish a 40-hour work week; provide financial compensation for on-call, weekend, and holiday work; offer remote work options with protections against surveillance tools; and increase the company’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Bonterra also agreed to remain neutral if other employee groups want to join the union. There are approximately 300 CWA members at the company who work as software engineers, product managers, members of the sales team and other staffers. The workers are members of CWA Local 1400 in Boston, CWA Local 13000 in Philadelphia, and CWA Local 2336 in Washington, D.C.

CWA Members Speaks Out in Favor of Fair and Flexible Scheduling for Workers at a Department of Labor Event

CWA Local 3204 AT&T Mobility Vice President Karen Nagjee and U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh participated in a panel discussion organized by the Department of Labor on the benefits of flexible scheduling for workers and businesses.

CWA Local 3204 AT&T Mobility Vice President Karen Nagjee participated in a U.S. Department of Labor panel discussion entitled “The Benefits of Fair Scheduling For Workers and Businesses” to explore what flexibility really means for hourly and frontline workers whose jobs cannot be done remotely. Nagjee took part in the event as a panelist along with other workers, business leaders, elected leaders, and Administration officials including U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. Democratic Congresswoman from Connecticut and Chair of the House Appropriations Committee Rosa DeLauro delivered the keynote address.

The panelists discussed the impact of scheduling instability on job quality and workers' lives. They also explored solutions for fair scheduling practices that center on workers’ voices while improving workers' economic stability and safety, as well as business outcomes. During the panel discussion, Nagjee shared her story about leaving a management position at T-Mobile and taking a union job at AT&T Mobility for the benefits provided in the collective bargaining agreement, including a fair and stable schedule that allowed her to spend time with her newborn daughter. Secretary Walsh reiterated the need for fair scheduling for workers and businesses by saying, "unstable scheduling hurts workers and it also limits the potential in our economy. It holds us back as a nation. And we have to address it." Read more about the benefits of flexible scheduling here.

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White House Invites CWA Activist to Promote the Benefits of the Affordable Connectivity Program

Will Lykes, a steward from CWA Local 7050 in Arizona and a legislative and political activist, visited the White House to participate in the Administration’s Communities in Action: Building A Better America event. Lykes was present at the event to promote the benefits of the Affordable Connectivity Program for working families in Arizona and beyond. Lykes and his wife both work remotely and have children that have been taking part in remote learning. The Affordable Connectivity Program has been crucial in allowing his family and so many others to continue to afford high quality internet. Lykes was part of a cohort of speakers who advocated for other items of the Administration’s agenda such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

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CWAers Across the Country are Gearing Up for the Midterm Elections

With less than four weeks until the midterm elections, CWA members across the country are ramping up their mobilization to ensure that our endorsed pro-worker candidates win office.

In North Carolina, CWA activists, who recently participated in a political activist training, met with Democratic State Senator Don Davis. The activists have kicked off their field program which includes worksite visits and phone banks.

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In Arizona, CWAers showed up at a debate to support Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who is running for re-election.

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In Georgia, CWA political activists have been registering voters and door-knocking for endorsed candidates.

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In Ohio, CWA members have been doing worksite visits and door-knocking to build support for endorsed candidates.

Gannett journalists from around the country, represented by the NewsGuild-CWA, hosted a virtual rally last week to discuss what they have gained by forming a union and what they are fighting for at the bargaining table. They were joined by NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss, Democratic Congresswoman from Florida Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Democratic New York State Senator James Skoufis, and musician Billy Bragg. 

“It is clear there has been a movement that has been built within our industry with thousands of journalists organizing across the entire continent, making our union one of the fastest growing unions in North America with 50 percent growth in just five years because everyone is standing up. We are banding together to fight for local news and our communities. And we are fighting to actually make Gannett better,” said Schleuss.

Members of the Colorado Independent Drivers United (CIDU)/CWA Local 7777 held an organizing blitz last week in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo., which culminated in a rally at the Colorado State Capitol. CIDU driver-organizers spoke with hundreds of fellow drivers throughout the week to hear their issues on the job, share a vision of collective power to address those issues, and ask them to join the union.

Prior to the rally at the Colorado State Capitol, a delegation of drivers visited the Uber and Lyft offices in Denver to ask them to disclose their algorithms as required by state law. Both Uber and Lyft staffers stonewalled, referring the CIDU delegation's spokespeople to an email address as the only option available for pursuing the request. Undeterred, the delegation met up with over a hundred other drivers, union siblings, and Colorado Future of Work coalition partners at the Colorado State Capitol to make their voices heard at the CIDU App-Based Driver Rally. CIDU leaders and coalition partners spoke on their demands at the rally before marching over to the Public Utility Commission building to call on the PUC to enforce the Transportation Network Company Act of 2014. The organizing drive and the various actions inspired many drivers in Colorado to get off the sidelines and into the fight for justice on the job.

Members of the Colorado Independent Drivers United (CIDU)/CWA Local 7777 held an organizing blitz last week in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo., which culminated in a rally at the Colorado State Capitol.

Earlier this week, volunteers from CWA and Microsoft participated in a “Get Connected” event in South Memphis to help residents who need it receive no-cost internet service. CWA and Microsoft recently launched "Get Connected," an initiative aiming to boost enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides low-cost broadband service. The partnership between CWA and Microsoft builds on a groundbreaking labor neutrality agreement announced in June, which includes a commitment to collaborate on technology adoption and skill building programs.

Recognizing the barriers many residents may face in navigating the ACP process, volunteers at the event guided residents through the registration process. Internet Service Providers that offer no-cost high-speed broadband plans to ACP enrollees were also available so that qualifying residents could sign up for service on-site. The event in Memphis follows a similar event in Atlanta on Labor Day. Additional sign up events are being planned in Detroit, Mich.; New York City; and rural North Carolina.

From left: Misty Robertson, CWA’s Broadband Lead; Yolanda Cunningham (CWA Local 3808); Tiffany Smith (CWA Local 3806); and a volunteer from Microsoft at the “Get Connected” event in South Memphis encouraged participants to enroll in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program to receive no-cost internet service.