Jul 20, 2023 - CODE-CWA Members Meet with President Biden and other news

TCG Union-CWA member Briana Thomas and Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS)-CWA member Mohammad Saman.

On Monday, CODE-CWA members from the video game industry went to the White House for a roundtable discussion on worker organizing. TCG Union-CWA member Briana Thomas and Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS)-CWA member Mohammad Saman met with President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with other administration officials, and shared their experience of forming a union and the importance of securing union contracts.

In March, workers at eBay-owned TCGplayer won their union election and became the first group of eBay workers to win union representation. Since their union election victory, management has engaged in delay tactics and a union-busting campaign in an attempt to deny workers the opportunity to bargain a fair first contract.

“Workers in the video game industry care deeply about our work—and a union contract gives us the leverage to negotiate to make this a sustainable career. Winning our union election was only the first step—the real victory comes when we secure our first union contract,” said Saman. Saman and his co-workers at SEGA won their union election earlier this month.

The roundtable, convened by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, included key administration officials such as Director of the White House National Economic Council, Lael Brainard, and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and former Labor Secretary, Tom Perez. Read more here.

Watch this video from the White House featuring Thomas sharing her experience following the roundtable discussion.

CODE-CWA members attended a roundtable discussion on worker organizing at the White House.

Alaska Airlines

AFA-CWA Flight Attendants at Alaska Airlines participated in pop-up pickets outside the San Diego International Airport, Portland International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to demand a fair contract and better treatment of workers. The Flight Attendants expressed their concerns about the lack of adequate pay, fair treatment, and poor working conditions. The picketers were joined by supporters and allies who displayed their solidarity with the Flight Attendants and their fight to improve standards for all workers. Members of AFA-CWA Alaska are planning further actions throughout the rest of the summer to make their voices heard.

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National Audubon Society

Workers at the National Audubon Society, members of The Bird Union (CWA Local 1180), delivered a letter last week to Audubon CEO Dr. Elizabeth Gray, calling out the organization for creating an inequitable workplace and demanding that newly-granted worker benefits, including increased parental leave, be extended to all Audubon staff. The letter, signed by a majority of the union’s members, comes in response to Audubon’s decision to take a page out of Starbucks’ union-busting playbook and roll out new, enhanced benefits only to non-represented staff. The Bird Union also delivered the letter to Audubon offices across the country.

Rather than immediately extending the new benefits to union-represented Audubon workers, Audubon presented them to the union as contract proposals and urged the union to quickly accept the substandard and incomplete contract in order to access the new benefits. This disgraceful bargaining tactic comes as Audubon management continues to push back against a number of proposals that The Bird Union has brought to the bargaining table to improve the lives and livelihoods of Audubon’s workers. The workers are committed to continuing to mobilize and pressure the organization to bargain in good faith for a first contract they deserve. Read more here.

This year’s Netroots Nation conference in Chicago featured a panel discussion with CWA Broadband Brigade leads Kwami Barnes (CWA Local 4603) and Jeremiah Clever (CWA Local 7603) entitled “Broadband Funding Is on the Way. Is Your State Prepared?”

The panel discussion also included Chip Spann, a Federal Program Officer for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Jill Gottfred Sohoni, Digital Equity Director for the City of Chicago and founder of Circle Root Collaborative (an organization that focuses on solving pressing challenges faced by communities).

The panelists discussed what states should be doing to guarantee good, sustainable jobs for their residents when using federal funds to expand broadband access. They also talked through some real opportunities for community groups to receive funding, and why it is so important for everyone to be involved. In addition, the CWAers on the panel highlighted the work CWA members are doing by collaborating with state broadband offices to build broadband better and met with legislators who were attending the conference.

Following the panel discussion, Clever sat down for an interview with Rick Smith from The Rick Smith Show. Listen to their conversation here (beginning at the 1:14:00 mark).

CWA hosted a panel discussion at the 2023 Netroots Nation Conference entitled “Broadband Funding Is on the Way. Is Your State Prepared?” The panel was moderated by Misty Robertson (left), CWA National Broadband Lead and included panelists (left to right): Jill Gottfred Sohoni, Digital Equity Director for the City of Chicago and founder of Circle Root Collaborative; Chip Spann, a Federal Program Officer for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and CWA Broadband Brigade leads Kwami Barnes (CWA Local 4603) and Jeremiah Clever (CWA Local 7603).

Last week, three CWA sectors held their conferences ahead of the 79th CWA Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Delegates to the 17th Annual Division Conference of IUE-CWA re-elected President Carl Kennebrew by acclamation. In addition to reports from the Mentorship program, and the Women’s, Civil Rights & Equity, Political, and Organizing Committees, delegates heard from President Dave Gerard of IUE-CWA Local 14430, whose members at Northstar Aerospace in Illinois have been on strike for five weeks.

Delegates attend IUE-CWA sector conference ahead of the 79th CWA Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Delegates to the 2023 NABET-CWA Sector Conference re-elected President Charlie Braico and Sector Vice President Lou Marinaro. Participants got a report from the CWA Next Generation Committee, heard a panel discussion on so-called “right-to-work” laws, and viewed a presentation on active shooter awareness and training.

Delegates attend NABET-CWA sector conference prior to the 79th CWA Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

More than 70 delegates attended the 2023 NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) Sector Conference. Jon Schleuss, who was elected by acclamation during the NewsGuild’s nominating conference in January, officially began his second term as president. Delegates also unanimously passed a resolution in support of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained by the Russian government for more than 100 days, saying, “We call on the United States government to steadfastly pursue all appropriate efforts until Gershkovich is freed. TNG-CWA further calls on supporters of journalism everywhere to publicize Gershkovich’s name and his work.” Delegates also raised funds to support striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh (TNG-CWA Local 38061), passed changes to make the Guild constitution gender neutral and encouraged locals to do the same, resolved to form a scholarship fund in honor of deceased TNG-CWA Staff Representative Bruce Nelson, and stood for press freedom against big tech abuses.

NewsGuild-CWA delegates at the 79th CWA Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Caring Across Generations

Last month, workers at Caring Across Generations, a non-profit organization that advocates to transform and improve the long-term care system, won voluntary recognition to join CWA Local 1180. Their union, Caring Across Staff Union, received recognition from the leadership of the organization after a supermajority of the workers signed cards in favor of forming a union. The workers are looking forward to negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement that ensures they are valued for the important work that they do and have a voice on the job.

Healthcare workers at University of California, Irvine Medical Center, members of UPTE (University of Professional and Technical Employees)/CWA Local 9119 held a rally outside their workplace on Monday to demand adequate staffing levels. During the rally, the workers and their supporters spoke out about the harmful impacts of chronic staff shortages coupled with low pay in the hospital’s rehabilitation department, including burnout of workers, increased vacancies, and longer wait times for patients to receive care. The workers also raised concerns about being denied time off and not being able to spend time with their families due to the high rate of staff turnover and shortage. In addition to improving their working conditions, the workers are also fighting to ensure that patients, who need their assistance at a vulnerable time in their lives, receive timely access to well-staffed rehabilitation services.

Last week, hundreds of thousands of members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), went on strike to demand a fair and equitable contract. SAG-AFTRA members, along with the nearly 12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), who have been on strike for over 70 days, are courageously standing up against the greed of the Hollywood studios to secure a better future and stronger protections for workers in a rapidly changing industry.

CWA members participated in pickets in New York and California last week to show their solidarity with the striking workers. Our members, including those in the media, broadcast, and entertainment sectors, will continue to show our unwavering support and commitment to help build the power these brave workers need to achieve a strong victory. Read CWA’s statement here.

For more information on upcoming SAG-AFTRA pickets click here. For more information on upcoming WGA pickets click here.