Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
Briefly
California Court Interpreters Fight for First Contract
Court interpreters throughout California are stepping up their fight for a first contract, with recent rallies and "call-off" days when they stayed home from work.
In June, more than 150 Los Angeles Superior Court
interpreters held a high-spirited noontime rally at the criminal courts building. "We had signs, whistles, maracas, tambourines, cow bells," said Silvia Barden, president of the California Federation of Interpreters-CWA. "We handed out fliers and gave away stickers that say 'I love interpreters' and virtually everyone was wearing them."
Interpreters in San Diego and San Francisco held earlier rallies and collectively stayed off the job for one day. Strike votes in both areas have passed overwhelmingly, but Barden said everyone hopes it won't come to that.
The 700 interpreters statewide, who together speak about 50 languages, were considered independent contractors until a new law two years ago made them court employees. However, they still have no health care, vacation or other benefits and Barden said they haven't had a raise in more than five years.
The interpreters' union is divided into four regions throughout California. Talks began last September with union bargaining committees of three to five interpreters in each region.
NLRB Elections 'Corrupt,' Researcher Says
The National Labor Relations Board's system for union elections is so corrupt that it doesn't remotely resemble the democratic process the term "election" brings to mind, according to a new report from a University of Oregon professor.
"Apart from the use of secret ballots, there is not a single aspect of the NLRB process that does not violate the norms we hold sacred for political elections," Professor Gordon Lafer said. "It is hard to imagine anyone—Republican or Democrat—who could win election under the conditions workers must use to form unions."
"Free and Fair? How Labor Law Fails U.S. Democratic Election Standards," describes the gross one-sided advantages employers hold in representation elections, from the power to squelch workers' free speech rights on the job to outright threats and firings.
"Every high school civics student knows that elections aren't fair without free speech, equal access to voters and the media, and freedom from voter coercion," said former Congressman David Bonior, Chair of American Rights at Work. "Gordon Lafer's research confirms that the system for union recognition is badly broken and profoundly undemocratic. Any reform of existing labor law must begin with this understanding."
Bonior said the report demonstrates clearly the need for new laws to level the playing field for employees, which is what the Employee Free Choice Act would do. Introduced as S.842 in the Senate and H.R. 1696 in the House, the bill would require employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing representation and would strengthen penalties when employers violate workers' rights.
A copy of Lafer's report is available at www.americanrightsatwork.org.
New Pact for 1,000 at Trane Co. in New Jersey
Narrowly averting a threatened strike by a thousand workers at the Trane Co. heating and air conditioning plant in Trenton, N.J., management in June dropped demands for so-called scheduling "flexibility."
"It would have imposed a hardship on our members, particular those with child care responsibilities," IUE-CWA Local 81455 President Felix Tuccillo said.
Members voted 640-88 to ratify the new three-year agreement, with wage increases of 3 percent effective June 13, 3.1 percent next year and 2.6 percent in 2007. Despite being forced to make some health care concessions and to accept a second-tier plan for new hires beginning in 2006, the contract offers improvements in other areas, including a raise in monthly pensions from $36 to $40 per year of service.
Court interpreters throughout California are stepping up their fight for a first contract, with recent rallies and "call-off" days when they stayed home from work.
In June, more than 150 Los Angeles Superior Court
interpreters held a high-spirited noontime rally at the criminal courts building. "We had signs, whistles, maracas, tambourines, cow bells," said Silvia Barden, president of the California Federation of Interpreters-CWA. "We handed out fliers and gave away stickers that say 'I love interpreters' and virtually everyone was wearing them."
Interpreters in San Diego and San Francisco held earlier rallies and collectively stayed off the job for one day. Strike votes in both areas have passed overwhelmingly, but Barden said everyone hopes it won't come to that.
The 700 interpreters statewide, who together speak about 50 languages, were considered independent contractors until a new law two years ago made them court employees. However, they still have no health care, vacation or other benefits and Barden said they haven't had a raise in more than five years.
The interpreters' union is divided into four regions throughout California. Talks began last September with union bargaining committees of three to five interpreters in each region.
NLRB Elections 'Corrupt,' Researcher Says
The National Labor Relations Board's system for union elections is so corrupt that it doesn't remotely resemble the democratic process the term "election" brings to mind, according to a new report from a University of Oregon professor.
"Apart from the use of secret ballots, there is not a single aspect of the NLRB process that does not violate the norms we hold sacred for political elections," Professor Gordon Lafer said. "It is hard to imagine anyone—Republican or Democrat—who could win election under the conditions workers must use to form unions."
"Free and Fair? How Labor Law Fails U.S. Democratic Election Standards," describes the gross one-sided advantages employers hold in representation elections, from the power to squelch workers' free speech rights on the job to outright threats and firings.
"Every high school civics student knows that elections aren't fair without free speech, equal access to voters and the media, and freedom from voter coercion," said former Congressman David Bonior, Chair of American Rights at Work. "Gordon Lafer's research confirms that the system for union recognition is badly broken and profoundly undemocratic. Any reform of existing labor law must begin with this understanding."
Bonior said the report demonstrates clearly the need for new laws to level the playing field for employees, which is what the Employee Free Choice Act would do. Introduced as S.842 in the Senate and H.R. 1696 in the House, the bill would require employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing representation and would strengthen penalties when employers violate workers' rights.
A copy of Lafer's report is available at www.americanrightsatwork.org.
New Pact for 1,000 at Trane Co. in New Jersey
Narrowly averting a threatened strike by a thousand workers at the Trane Co. heating and air conditioning plant in Trenton, N.J., management in June dropped demands for so-called scheduling "flexibility."
"It would have imposed a hardship on our members, particular those with child care responsibilities," IUE-CWA Local 81455 President Felix Tuccillo said.
Members voted 640-88 to ratify the new three-year agreement, with wage increases of 3 percent effective June 13, 3.1 percent next year and 2.6 percent in 2007. Despite being forced to make some health care concessions and to accept a second-tier plan for new hires beginning in 2006, the contract offers improvements in other areas, including a raise in monthly pensions from $36 to $40 per year of service.