CBCI 21st Century Council Explores Innovation in Communications Technology

The Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) 21st Century Council think tank convened its 4th quarter meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina October 16-19, 2011.  The meeting was hosted by United States House of Representatives Democratic Assistant Leader James Clyburn (D-SC 6), CBCI Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS 1) and US House Financial Services Member Melvin Watt (D-NC 12). Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx welcomed the Council to the city.  Also present at the meeting among others was Congressional Black Caucus Member Congressman B.K. Butterfield (D-NC 1) who has been a CWA champion on several important issues.

The 21st Century Council Communications/Technology subcommittee took up the issue of innovation in communications technology.  The roundtable discussion was chaired by Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA 2) a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security.  Roundtable discussion leaders included Howard Woolley, Senior Vice President- Strategic and Wireless Public Policy for Verizon, Earl Jones, Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs with Comcast, Dr. Alan Freitag with the Communications Studies Department of the University of North Carolina- Charlotte, Wanda Townsend, Vice President for Government Relations with the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, and Alfonso Pollard, Director of Human Rights- Political and Legislative Coordinator with the Communications Workers of America.  Panelists discussed present and future innovation projects taking place within their respective organizations while Dr. Freitag led a discussion on the volatile political public discourse raging across the nation.

Pollard echoed innovation principles surrounding wages and compensation, income, the decline in unionization, and collective bargaining coverage espoused by CWA President Larry Cohen, an Obama Administration appointee to the Commerce Department’s Innovation Advisory Board.  The CBCI North Carolina roundtable discussion offered an excellent opportunity to explore these fundamental labor principles and to focus on training provided through CWA/NETT Academy.  The North Carolina roundtable was timely as it took place less than one week following the CWA sponsored Washington, DC conference on Jobs, Equality, and The Role of Government.  This jobs conference took place at the Georgetown University Law School through its Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, in cooperation with the Center for Economic Policy and Research.

CWA has been an active participant in the CBCI 21st Century Council for three years.  Our participation has provided opportunities to have one-on-one talks directly with Members of the Congressional Black Caucus over an uninterrupted two to three day period.  This has helped CWA move its agenda on many issues such as broadband and Speed Matters, as well as labor relations and the Caucus.  Other roundtable think tank forums held during this 2011 CBCI 4th quarter meeting centered on the environment and energy, and healthcare.  More specifically, the Communications/Technology subcommittee of the Council focused additionally on completion of the 2012 annual report to Congress, the White House and federal agencies.  Final report recommendation language will cover job training and workforce development programs, minority participation in entrepreneurial and business development opportunities, and strategies to encourage broadband adoption.

During this series of meetings in North Carolina, the Council received a tour of the Convention site, the Time Warner Cable Arena.  The group also received a briefing on 2012 Democratic National Committee (DNC) Convention planning activities.  Hosted by Mrs. Melvin Watt, a panel discussion was offered which outlined progress and opportunities for minority organizations and businesses to be vendors before, during and if possible, after the 2012 Convention.  Panelists for this session included Host Committee Executive Director Dan Murrey, Chief of Staff of the Democratic National Convention Committee Travis Dredd, and Jay Ferguson of DNC Charlotte Housing, LLC.  Also present was the meeting was the Convention Labor Coordinator.  CBCI delegates learned, unlike previous national conventions, the 2012 convention will be funded entirely by contributions from the public and from certain foundation sources.  No corporate contributions will used to finance the Convention.  In addition to the cooperative work our union does through the AFL-CIO, it is anticipated that CWA work with the Congressional Black Caucus will continue during the 2012 Convention.