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Bargaining and Organizing Rights Take Center Stage
Urging the delegates to spur their locals to active participation, CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen turned the spotlight on an unprecedented campaign to restore collective bargaining and organizing rights in the United States.
"Imagine that it's 1948, Harry Truman is president," he began. "Thirty-five percent of private sector workers are in unions with all collective bargaining rights. Eleanor Roosevelt says let's proclaim Dec. 10 International Human Rights Day, hoping to promote United States democracy, including collective bargaining and organizing rights, as standards for the rest of the world."
Today, by contrast, public sector collective bargaining rates have risen to 35 percent. But, Cohen pointed out, only "one in 12 workers in the private sector has bargaining rights, and organizing in the private sector has become almost impossible."
He called for reform of ineffective labor laws that permit companies to run vicious, anti-union campaigns, delay recognition for years as they appeal National Labor Relations Board election results and inhibit bargaining to prevent first contracts.
He cited examples at Comcast where 1,000 workers have been decertified, at Verizon Wireless where the company employed union-busting attorneys to delay reaching a contract, at the Chinese Daily News where the employer refuses recognition to 150 workers who won an election two years ago, and at Adelphia where several bargaining units are fighting for first contracts.
Cohen called upon the delegates to support a five-point, CWA-inspired program adopted by the AFL-CIO, to fight for bargaining and organizing rights by:
In keeping with the third point above, presidential candidates who spoke at the convention gave public statements of their support in the fight for a contract at Verizon.
And, in solidarity with CWA, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka pledged that the federation will on Dec. 10 launch a massive campaign to educate and mobilize community leaders and the public behind efforts to end the suppression of workers' rights.
Cohen said it will take a massive effort to make the campaign work.
"The presidential candidates who come before us can't accomplish it, members of Congress who are our allies can't accomplish it, the AFL-CIO leadership can't accomplish it."
"They can't accomplish it," he stressed. "It will take all of us."
"Imagine that it's 1948, Harry Truman is president," he began. "Thirty-five percent of private sector workers are in unions with all collective bargaining rights. Eleanor Roosevelt says let's proclaim Dec. 10 International Human Rights Day, hoping to promote United States democracy, including collective bargaining and organizing rights, as standards for the rest of the world."
Today, by contrast, public sector collective bargaining rates have risen to 35 percent. But, Cohen pointed out, only "one in 12 workers in the private sector has bargaining rights, and organizing in the private sector has become almost impossible."
He called for reform of ineffective labor laws that permit companies to run vicious, anti-union campaigns, delay recognition for years as they appeal National Labor Relations Board election results and inhibit bargaining to prevent first contracts.
He cited examples at Comcast where 1,000 workers have been decertified, at Verizon Wireless where the company employed union-busting attorneys to delay reaching a contract, at the Chinese Daily News where the employer refuses recognition to 150 workers who won an election two years ago, and at Adelphia where several bargaining units are fighting for first contracts.
Cohen called upon the delegates to support a five-point, CWA-inspired program adopted by the AFL-CIO, to fight for bargaining and organizing rights by:
- Making a local commitment by passing bargaining rights resolutions.
- Participating in actions to draw public attention to the bargaining rights crisis.
- Putting public officials and candidates on notice that union support is contingent upon their willingness to speak out for workers.
- Bargaining to organize.
- Educating members in their locals.
In keeping with the third point above, presidential candidates who spoke at the convention gave public statements of their support in the fight for a contract at Verizon.
And, in solidarity with CWA, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka pledged that the federation will on Dec. 10 launch a massive campaign to educate and mobilize community leaders and the public behind efforts to end the suppression of workers' rights.
Cohen said it will take a massive effort to make the campaign work.
"The presidential candidates who come before us can't accomplish it, members of Congress who are our allies can't accomplish it, the AFL-CIO leadership can't accomplish it."
"They can't accomplish it," he stressed. "It will take all of us."