Jun 8, 2023 - Strike Alert: CWAers on Strike at Five Companies and other news

In a powerful show of solidarity and worker militancy, CWA members and workers organizing with CWA were on strike this past week at five different companies demanding fair treatment, equity, a voice on the job, and better protections for workers.

On Strike at Gannet

Newsguild-CWA journalists at Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, walked off the job on Monday, the day of Gannett’s annual shareholder meeting. In the largest collective action that Gannett employees have ever taken to date, hundreds of journalists in two dozen newsrooms across seven states participated in the one-day strike to demand that Gannett get serious about reinvesting in local news. Some newsrooms walked off the job for two days or more. The journalists urged shareholders to take a vote of no-confidence against Mike Reed, Gannett’s chief executive. Newsguild-CWA, which represents more than 50 Gannett bargaining units covering more than 1,000 employees, sent a letter two weeks ago to Gannett’s Board making the case that under Reed’s leadership, newsrooms have been hollowed out, local news coverage has dwindled, and Gannett share prices have fallen nearly 70 percent. Gannett has also been stalling on bargaining at various tables across newsrooms, and not bargaining in good faith around demands for living wages and the resources journalists need to cover their communities.

Watch this newsclip with interviews from Asbury Park Press journalists in New Jersey who went on strike as part of the nationwide Gannett workers strike.

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On Strike at Northstar Aerospace

IUE-CWA Local 14430 members who work for Northstar Aerospace in Bedford Park, Ill., went on strike on Monday demanding a fair contract. The members have been bargaining for a new collective bargaining agreement and actively mobilizing to build strength at the negotiating table and secure a fair deal. The workers are an essential part of the defense industry, providing critical components for Apache and Chinook helicopters that are being flown by our brave service members and allies abroad. The tasks they perform require stellar skills and a strong work ethic. Throughout the pandemic, they risked their safety and health to continue to keep our service members flying. They are fighting for a fair and equitable contract that recognizes their hard work and sacrifice. Keep up-to-date on their fight by following their Facebook page.

Watch this video of striking IUE-CWA members at Northstar Aerospace on the picket line.

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On Strike at Maximus

In their largest worker action since November 2022, Maximus federal call center workers, members of Call Center Worker United-CWA, participated in a one-day strike across five states on Monday protesting the layoff of 700 workers last month. Their actions in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia come as the call center workers play a key role in helping people transition into exchange plans amid a massive Medicaid redetermination effort. In addition to calling for protections against unfair layoffs, the workers also demanded a living wage of $25/hour, real opportunities for career advancement, and an investigation of Maximus’ labor practices by Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra.

Watch this newsclip highlighting the Maximus workers recent strike.

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On Strike at Insider

Insider union members, represented by the NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003) began an open-ended strike that started at midnight last Friday after management refused to remedy its outstanding Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) and reach a fair contract with workers on wages and lower health insurance costs. After forming a union in 2021, the workers have been fighting for a first contract, demanding the company bargain in good faith and reach a fair agreement on wages and lower health insurance costs. In November 2022, company leadership illegally changed the workers’ health insurance unilaterally, forcing them to spend more on healthcare while significantly reducing their coverage. In response, the union filed a ULP and in May, 2023 the National Labor Relations Board found merit in the charges. However, management has refused to rectify these unlawful actions, forcing workers to strike in protest.

Watch this video of striking Insider union members demonstrating their solidarity.

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On Strike at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CWA District 4 local leaders, activists, and staff showed solidarity with striking CWA and other workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last Friday by leafleting multiple businesses in Ohio including the Hancock Hotel in Findley and Auglaize Audiology in Wapakoneta. Both businesses have been advertising on the WLIO TV station, which is owned by the Toledo-based millionaire Block family. The Block family also owns the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where workers have been on strike for the last 7 months over not receiving a pay raise in over 15 years and illegal, unilateral cuts to their healthcare. During the action, the activists expressed how advertising on a Block Communications-owned network means supporting millionaires over working people and demanded that the Hancock Hotel and Auglaize Audiology stand with workers and stop their advertisements on WLIO until the strike is resolved.

Apple

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against Apple for the corporation's flagrant disregard of labor law. The complaint is the result of unfair labor practice charges CWA filed about Apple management’s actions at the Oklahoma City, Okla., store, where workers successfully formed a union with CWA despite the company's illegal interference. The workers are currently bargaining with Apple on their first union contract.

Despite Apple’s public commitments to develop and retain top talent, the corporation has chosen to attack its own employees for simply seeking to exercise their legally protected right to organize. The NLRB’s complaint makes clear that Apple’s behavior puts the company among the worst and most aggressive union-busters in the country, in step with Amazon and Starbucks. The NLRB has found merit in several charges including interrogation of employees about their support for the union, holding mandatory captive audience meetings, and threatening employees with retaliation if they won their union election, and will prosecute Apple for breaking federal labor law.

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Solar Alliance Southeast

Workers at Solar Alliance Southeast (SASE) in Knoxville, Tenn., have overwhelmingly voted to join Solar Workers United (CWA Local 3805) in a National Labor Relations Board election. Fed up by the failure of Solar Alliance owners to recognize the value of their contributions, the workers have been organizing for dignity, respect, and a voice on the job. The workers are involved in the engineering, procurement, construction, and sales of solar projects on every scale – from residential to commercial and utility scale installations.

SASE workers receive low and inconsistent pay that is grossly under the industry standard and does not match the workers’ level of expertise and skills. In addition, the workers are constantly overworked without additional compensation, lack job security and safety, as well as adequate resources and support. Following their union election win, the workers are gearing up to negotiate a fair contract and resolve the challenges that have made their jobs difficult.

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San Marcos Hays County EMS

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics at San Marcos Hays County EMS in Texas won union recognition to join CWA in a National Relations Labor Board (NLRB)-conducted mail-ballot election. The workers and the organizing committee overcame numerous challenges to win the vote, including rampant rumors of layoffs if the union won, apartment numbers getting left off the NLRB's ballot mailing list, and fear-mongering about strikes from local elected officials.

Soon after the workers announced their efforts to form a union, County officials hired Littler Mendelson (the firm Apple and Starbucks both hired to bust union efforts at their companies) and filed a petition with the NLRB arguing that the workers could not form a union under the National Labor Relation Act (NLRA) because they were public employees working for the government. Thanks to the workers' continued effort to fight for their union, after a thorough review of the facts, the NLRB ruled that the workers are entitled to collective bargaining rights under the NLRA. Their success in securing this impactful ruling has set a new precedent for workers who seek to form unions.

The workers also received strong support from Austin EMS Association (CWA Local 6914) members, which was crucial to their success. They will now join CWA Local 6914 as a new chapter, the Hays County EMS Association. CWA District 6 staff hope to support Local 6914's continued expansion by organizing more groups of EMS workers around Texas.

Frontier (West Virginia)

CWAers at Frontier in West Virginia and Ashburn, Va., are bargaining for a new contract that covers approximately 1,400 members. Negotiations opened on Monday between the company and CWA ahead of the current contract expiration in August. The negotiations come at a critical time for the company, which emerged from bankruptcy in April 2021. West Virginia is slated to receive $950 million from the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill to invest in expanding broadband internet access to locations across the state. Frontier members in West Virginia and Ashburn went on strike for three weeks in 2018 in order to reach an agreement that ensured that they would be able to provide quality service and keep good jobs in their communities. “Five years after our strike, we have the same priorities at Frontier in West Virginia and Virginia,” said Ed Mooney, Vice President of CWA District 2-13. “Our message is simple: we want a contract that supports quality jobs so we can deliver quality service.”

CWA Frontier members in West Virginia and Ashburn, Va., mobilize by holding workplace actions for a new contract covering thousands of workers.

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Potter County

IUE-CWA Local 88612 members who work for Potter County, Penn., are uniting their voices to demand a fair contract. These essential county workers play a critical role in providing vital community services, including tax processing, courthouse security, estate management, and more. With their contract opening for negotiations in late June, they are fighting for higher wages and improved working conditions.

With a starting rate below $10 an hour, many are forced to seek second jobs or leave their positions in search of livable wages. Consequently, the county is grappling with a shortage of interested workers to fill open positions. Frustrated by the County Commissioners' lack of response, the union members began a mobilization campaign, creating their own yellow t-shirts and distributing yard signs to raise awareness about their working conditions and the significance of the services they provide.

“We are the backbone of this county. We are skilled workers who take pride in serving the public, but it’s just a shame we get paid so little even in comparison to local fast food establishments,” said Marian Butler, a county worker. “However, I am hopeful the County Commissioners will eventually listen to our concerns and negotiate a fair contract. We are a small community, members are pumped, and it won’t take long for our story to get around, including the hardships we endure and the essential services at stake.”

IUE-CWA Local 88612 members at Potter County, Penn., are mobilizing for a new contract.

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International Documentary Association

Workers of the International Documentary Association, members of Documentary Workers United (CWA Local 9003), won a tentative agreement for a first two-year contract after months of bargaining. The agreement includes an average 20-30 percent wage increase, with a baseline minimum of $30/hr, a guaranteed annual rate increase, differential pay for additional labor, and a comprehensive reproductive health policy. Read more here.

CWA Activists in Colorado Secure Major Legislative Win for Public Workers

In a huge win for workers, the Colorado Public Employees’ Workplace Protection Act (SB23-111) has officially been signed into law. Thanks to the efforts of CWA activists, who joined forces with other pro-worker activists and lawmakers to secure the passage of this historic bill, public workers in Colorado will be granted important workplace protections that most private sector employees have had for almost 90 years. The National Labor Relations Act, passed in 1935, and the Colorado Labor Peace Act, passed in 1943, granted organizing rights to private sector employees but excluded those necessary protections from workers in the public sector. SB23-111 changes that and extends those protections to nearly 250,000 public sector employees across the state of Colorado.

This win is the result of the continued advocacy and activism of members of CWA Local 7799 in Colorado, which represents public defenders, healthcare workers, librarians, and higher education workers in the state. The legislation will allow the members to continue to grow their union and the public good without fear of retaliation.

June is Pride Month, when we honor, recognize, and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ+ workers and leaders who have shaped and continue to shape our labor movement. As part of our yearly celebration, the CWA Human Rights Department is taking part in Labor, Faith, and LGBTQ+ Pride, an online panel to discuss the intersections of the labor movement, LGBTQ+ movements, and faith communities tonight, Thursday, June 8, at 7pm ET.

The CWA team will facilitate a discussion with panelists from the CWA Pride Caucus, Pride at Work, and Vanderbilt Divinity School’s Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice. LGBTQ+ workers, as well as all union siblings and allies, are encouraged to attend. Register here.

You can also celebrate Pride Month with a CWA Pride t-shirt! Visit https://myunionstore.com/collections/cwa/products/cwa-pride-t-shirt to order one today!

Vacation season is in full swing. Union members, rent a car for your getaway and save up to 35%* off Avis or Budget base rates. *Terms apply. Book now: https://unionplus.click/cf5.