May 7, 2026 - CWA Educates Congress on Worker Power, Protections, and Progress

Support Spirit Airlines AFA-CWA Members

Earlier this week, AFA-CWA Flight Attendants learned that Spirit Airlines was abruptly shutting down operations. Representing over 5,000 Spirit Airlines Flight Attendants, the most immediate concern for AFA-CWA is the health and well-being of those members with medical conditions who have lost their health insurance.

AFA-CWA leadership anticipates a long battle in the courts over compensation for the grounded Flight Attendants, many of whom must begin looking for work immediately or risk falling behind on bills and accruing major debt. There is also a concerning risk to other low-cost carriers, as spikes in jet fuel costs threaten revenues across the industry.

Click here to donate to the AFA-CWA disaster relief fund.

In April, CWA Director of Research Nell Geiser testified before Congressional Education and Workforce Committee Democrats about the degradation of job quality driven by corporate greed and the role of collective bargaining in reversing this downward spiral. The committee hearing was titled “Falling Behind: Workers in the Trump Economy.”

Geiser discussed worker exploitation in various CWA sectors, including telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and media. She spoke about how corporations are using artificial intelligence to further squeeze and surveil workers, harming the quality of service workers can provide.

“Studies show that collective bargaining counterbalances employer market power, leveling the labor market playing field so that profits are distributed more fairly to workers,” said Geiser. “Through economic power, workers can also negotiate job security protections and limits on outsourcing.”

During exchanges with members of Congress, Geiser emphasized the need for workers to stand together against CEOs and oligarchs, stating, “If we’re organized and have the right villains in our sights, together we can change the balance of power.”

Click here to watch the entire committee hearing.

 
Pictured from left to right: Representative Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Kate Bahn, CWA Director of Research Nell Geiser, Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Director of Race and Economic Justice at the Center for Economic and Policy Research Algernon Austin, and Representative Mark Desaulnier (D-Ca.).

Last week, members of the United Soccer League Players Association (USLPA-CWA Local 7211) announced that they had reached a tentative agreement with the United Soccer League. Bargaining started in August 2024. In March 2026, members announced their willingness to strike if League management continued to stymie negotiations.

Throughout bargaining, members were clear and consistent on their demands for the league to meaningfully invest in its players with improvements to healthcare, minimum standards for team facilities, and better housing and travel conditions. The tentative agreement includes language guaranteeing access to employer-provided health insurance and 12-month player contracts, eliminating lapses in compensation during the offseason. Other gains include increases to minimum compensation, standards for employer-provided housing, hotel accommodations, team facilities, and medical care.

USLPA-CWA Player President and Bargaining Committee member Duke Lacroix said, “While no agreement is perfect, I believe this tentative agreement represents an important step forward in establishing true professional standards. It addresses several key issues our members consistently identified as priorities. I am proud our membership remained fully united and committed throughout this process. Their collective support ultimately guided our approach at the bargaining table and led to our successes.”

USLPA-CWA members will be notified when the language for the agreement is finalized and educational sessions to explain the TA are available.

Congratulations to CWA’s United Soccer League Players Association members!

 
Pictured from top left: CWA District 1, CWA District 4 with CWA Local 4603 Secretary-Treasurer Kwami Barnes and CWA District 4 Staff Rep Wendy Fonseca, CWA District 6 with CWA Local 6143 Legislative Director Charles Fuentes, CWA District 7, UPTE-CWA members, and CWA District 9 with CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce and AFA-CWA International President Sara Nelson participated in May Day events.

CWA members across the country participated in events for May Day, also known as International Workers Day, celebrating the rights and achievements of workers. As working people joined together to stand up to a rigged economy, CWAers called for solutions to issues including the offshoring of jobs, rising inflation, attacks on immigrants, and tax avoidance by wealthy billionaires.

On April 29, Google parent company Alphabet reported another quarter of strong profits. On that same day, Alphabet Workers Union-CWA (AWU-CWA Local 9009) members took up space on Google campuses across the country, inviting their coworkers to join the Googlers for Job Security campaign.

On social media, on the AWU-CWA website, and on banners and flyers distributed in the workplace, Googlers for Job Security unveiled a collage with photos of hundreds of their coworkers who support the campaign. Members educated coworkers about their four key demands of guaranteed severance, no Googler Reviews and Development (GRAD) quotas, voluntary buyouts before mandatory layoffs, and the option to use severance as leave. Members also collected petition signatures in support.

Google workers are performing at high levels of productivity, generating record-breaking profits for the company despite fears of sudden layoffs. Over 3,800 Googlers have now signed on in support and their movement continues to grow every day!

Check out some of the reasons Googlers are fighting for job security on their newly updated campaign page and follow Alphabet Workers Union on Instagram for more updates!

 
Alphabet Workers United-CWA Local 9009 members, with AWU-CWA Communications Chair Emma Jackson (pictured far left), held simultaneous petition drives across the country during the company’s earnings report.

On April 21, CWA Locals 1033 and 1036 held a celebration of unity in Trenton, N.J., with nearly 200 members, retirees, and staff participating. Activities included legislative conversations, a fundraising drive for the Political Action Fund, and information sessions on member pension and healthcare plans.

 
CWA Local 1033 and 1036 held a day of unity in April. Pictured above with staff from both Locals are N.J. Public Employees Retirement System Board member Tom Bruno (back row, fourth from left), CWA Local 1033 President Gaye Palmer (right of Bruno), and CWA Local 1033 Executive Vice President Michele Greaves (third from right).