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Big-Hearted Givers Help Build CWA Relief Fund
The generosity of CWA members, retirees, locals, businesses and foreign unions has raised more than $250,000 for the CWA Disaster Relief Fund since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The fund is continuing to collect money to help the families of the 10 CWA members and retirees who died in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, as well as members who were hospitalized.
“CWA members have been extremely generous,” said Janine Brown, CWA representative for women’s activities and community services. “But we’re still tallying the needs of our injured members and the families of those who died. We want to make sure we can meet their needs, and we want to make sure the disaster fund is ready to help the next time there’s a crisis. So we’re asking people to continue to give.”
The relief fund, and an oversight committee including one staff member from each district, was established in 1993 to help members and retirees cover expenses and rebuild their lives after fires, floods and other disasters. Since 1993, the fund has disbursed just over $700,000 to 743 victims.
The largest contributions to the fund since Sept. 11 include $10,000 from the Japanese telecom workers union, $10,000 each from CWA Locals 1301 and 2204, $9,070 from Local 1109, $7,000 from Local 1108, $6,889 from Local 3204 and $5,000 each from Local 1037, Local 4371 and the NABET-CWA sector.
Additionally, Verizon is offering matching contributions for employees and SBC is matching gifts from employees and retirees. For more information, check with your local or go online to ga.cwa-union.org. Click on “CWA members respond to terrorist attacks.”
Many smaller donations have helped tremendously to build the fund, Brown said. For instance, TNG-CWA Local 38061 at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette donated $61.55 that the Guild won in a grievance over bargaining unit work.
“To resolve the grievance, the company agreed to make a contribution to the charity of the Guild’s choice for the amount of overtime that would have been paid if a Guildsman had done the work in question,” the paper’s labor relations director said in a letter accompanying the check.
Unions in other countries and their members have also made donations. On Nov. 4, British postman Paul Simons of the Communication Workers Union will run in the New York City marathon, and is raising money through pledges to donate to the CWA fund. He’ll be tackling the 26-mile course just days after completing the Dublin marathon.
“I’ve competed in both events before but I have never run two marathons so close together,” Simons said. “In between it will be total rest, a lot of flying and the odd massage. I wanted to donate the money to the New York disaster fund and when I heard the CWA had a fund of its own, that was the clincher.”
In addition to the CWA fund, members and locals have donated materials and supplies, as well as money, to other relief efforts. Gifts have come from the far reaches of the country. CWA Local 7906, for instance, sent 200 pairs of gloves to the District 1 office in New York to be distributed to recovery workers.
In Lynn, Mass., IUE-CWA Local 81201 raised $10,700 through gate collections at three plants on Sept. 21. The money was donated to the New York City Central Labor Council Disaster Fund, and was on top of another $10,000 gift from the local’s general fund.
And in Connecticut on Oct. 1, union members took to the road for a fundraising motorcycle ride organized by Fred Garrity Jr., president of IUE-CWA Local 81244 and vice president of the state AFL-CIO. About $10,000 was raised for the United Way to distribute to Sept. 11 relief efforts.
A state police escort led the ride, which grew to 1,000 motorcycles over the 10-town, 60-mile route. Fire trucks led a parade of the bikes, decked out in red, white and blue, for the last two miles.
“We all have friends and relatives directly affected by the tragedy and our local firefighters and police were there on the scene within hours,” Garrity said. “This ride is one way we as labor can show our support, our solidarity, our thanks and our patriotism.”
The fund is continuing to collect money to help the families of the 10 CWA members and retirees who died in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, as well as members who were hospitalized.
“CWA members have been extremely generous,” said Janine Brown, CWA representative for women’s activities and community services. “But we’re still tallying the needs of our injured members and the families of those who died. We want to make sure we can meet their needs, and we want to make sure the disaster fund is ready to help the next time there’s a crisis. So we’re asking people to continue to give.”
The relief fund, and an oversight committee including one staff member from each district, was established in 1993 to help members and retirees cover expenses and rebuild their lives after fires, floods and other disasters. Since 1993, the fund has disbursed just over $700,000 to 743 victims.
The largest contributions to the fund since Sept. 11 include $10,000 from the Japanese telecom workers union, $10,000 each from CWA Locals 1301 and 2204, $9,070 from Local 1109, $7,000 from Local 1108, $6,889 from Local 3204 and $5,000 each from Local 1037, Local 4371 and the NABET-CWA sector.
Additionally, Verizon is offering matching contributions for employees and SBC is matching gifts from employees and retirees. For more information, check with your local or go online to ga.cwa-union.org. Click on “CWA members respond to terrorist attacks.”
Many smaller donations have helped tremendously to build the fund, Brown said. For instance, TNG-CWA Local 38061 at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette donated $61.55 that the Guild won in a grievance over bargaining unit work.
“To resolve the grievance, the company agreed to make a contribution to the charity of the Guild’s choice for the amount of overtime that would have been paid if a Guildsman had done the work in question,” the paper’s labor relations director said in a letter accompanying the check.
Unions in other countries and their members have also made donations. On Nov. 4, British postman Paul Simons of the Communication Workers Union will run in the New York City marathon, and is raising money through pledges to donate to the CWA fund. He’ll be tackling the 26-mile course just days after completing the Dublin marathon.
“I’ve competed in both events before but I have never run two marathons so close together,” Simons said. “In between it will be total rest, a lot of flying and the odd massage. I wanted to donate the money to the New York disaster fund and when I heard the CWA had a fund of its own, that was the clincher.”
In addition to the CWA fund, members and locals have donated materials and supplies, as well as money, to other relief efforts. Gifts have come from the far reaches of the country. CWA Local 7906, for instance, sent 200 pairs of gloves to the District 1 office in New York to be distributed to recovery workers.
In Lynn, Mass., IUE-CWA Local 81201 raised $10,700 through gate collections at three plants on Sept. 21. The money was donated to the New York City Central Labor Council Disaster Fund, and was on top of another $10,000 gift from the local’s general fund.
And in Connecticut on Oct. 1, union members took to the road for a fundraising motorcycle ride organized by Fred Garrity Jr., president of IUE-CWA Local 81244 and vice president of the state AFL-CIO. About $10,000 was raised for the United Way to distribute to Sept. 11 relief efforts.
A state police escort led the ride, which grew to 1,000 motorcycles over the 10-town, 60-mile route. Fire trucks led a parade of the bikes, decked out in red, white and blue, for the last two miles.
“We all have friends and relatives directly affected by the tragedy and our local firefighters and police were there on the scene within hours,” Garrity said. “This ride is one way we as labor can show our support, our solidarity, our thanks and our patriotism.”