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.
Cingular Achievements Round Out Year
Hundreds of workers in the East won CWA representation in December, as District 3 announced a breakthrough in its first round of Cingular Wireless organizing campaigns, and District 1 received certification from the AAA for the final Cingular market it targeted in campaigns begun a year and a half ago.
District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith announced Dec. 13 that he received certification from the American Arbitration Association for Cingular's customer service center in Ashland, Ky. - more than 300 new members with the potential to grow rapidly to about 750.
"My congratulations to Local 3371, the staff who worked on this campaign and to the Cingular workers who remained true to the strong union roots that exist in Ashland," Smith said. "We are proud to represent them."
As the Newsletter went to press, District 3 Organizing Coordinator Hugh Wolfe was set to file cards for more than 1,000 additional Cingular service reps in Miami, Ocala and Cedartown, Fla., and Atlanta and Norcross, Ga. He said the potential exists to gain several hundred more members as the Ocala and Miami locations continue hiring, and that yet another campaign is underway for 266 customer service reps in Ocean Springs, Miss. Wolfe said that location has seats for 600.
District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino on Dec. 17 received certification for 120 retail sales reps and 10 technicians in central and southern New Jersey. He congratulated Locals 1022 and 1023, which will represent the new members. "This victory makes Cingular wireless wall-to-wall union in District 1, and we're proud of that," he said.
SBC purchased Comcast's wireless properties in the northeast about a year and a half ago and all came under CWA's card check and neutrality agreement with the company shortly thereafter. District 1 has already organized Cingular retail sales employees and technicians in upstate New York, Connecticut and all of New England, Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to Mancino, said.
The new members in District 1 will roll into CWA's existing agreement with Cingular, covering Districts 1, 2 and 4, Sabol said.
Wolfe said Cingular call centers in District 3 became eligible for card check and neutrality Oct. 1, under an agreement Smith negotiated during the summer. Technical and retail sales become eligible Jan. 1.
Wolfe, CWA Representatives Judy Dennis and Jimmy Gurganus, and local President Phil Coldiron assisted a committee of about seven Ashland service reps including Michael Flannery, Meshelle Johnson, Debbie Bowling, Brenda Smith and Randy Carroll.
"We first met with the workers in early October, and by November they were into the campaign and ready to go," Wolfe said.
Johnson pulled the committee together and Flannery went to the call center several times before his shift to talk with workers about CWA and to give them cards.
Coldiron, whose local more than doubles in size because of the victory, credited Cingular with honoring its neutrality agreement. "They even gave us the opportunity to do an onsite visit, and we were able to access employees on their breaks," he said.
Anne Luck, an organizer for Locals 1022 and 1023, spearheaded an effort that involved talking to workers in stores and kiosks throughout much of New Jersey. She was assisted by Rachael Tetrault, a Cingular retail rep in Albany and member of Local 1118, District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie, and Local 1022 Chief Steward Bob Flood.
District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith announced Dec. 13 that he received certification from the American Arbitration Association for Cingular's customer service center in Ashland, Ky. - more than 300 new members with the potential to grow rapidly to about 750.
"My congratulations to Local 3371, the staff who worked on this campaign and to the Cingular workers who remained true to the strong union roots that exist in Ashland," Smith said. "We are proud to represent them."
As the Newsletter went to press, District 3 Organizing Coordinator Hugh Wolfe was set to file cards for more than 1,000 additional Cingular service reps in Miami, Ocala and Cedartown, Fla., and Atlanta and Norcross, Ga. He said the potential exists to gain several hundred more members as the Ocala and Miami locations continue hiring, and that yet another campaign is underway for 266 customer service reps in Ocean Springs, Miss. Wolfe said that location has seats for 600.
District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino on Dec. 17 received certification for 120 retail sales reps and 10 technicians in central and southern New Jersey. He congratulated Locals 1022 and 1023, which will represent the new members. "This victory makes Cingular wireless wall-to-wall union in District 1, and we're proud of that," he said.
SBC purchased Comcast's wireless properties in the northeast about a year and a half ago and all came under CWA's card check and neutrality agreement with the company shortly thereafter. District 1 has already organized Cingular retail sales employees and technicians in upstate New York, Connecticut and all of New England, Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to Mancino, said.
The new members in District 1 will roll into CWA's existing agreement with Cingular, covering Districts 1, 2 and 4, Sabol said.
Wolfe said Cingular call centers in District 3 became eligible for card check and neutrality Oct. 1, under an agreement Smith negotiated during the summer. Technical and retail sales become eligible Jan. 1.
Wolfe, CWA Representatives Judy Dennis and Jimmy Gurganus, and local President Phil Coldiron assisted a committee of about seven Ashland service reps including Michael Flannery, Meshelle Johnson, Debbie Bowling, Brenda Smith and Randy Carroll.
"We first met with the workers in early October, and by November they were into the campaign and ready to go," Wolfe said.
Johnson pulled the committee together and Flannery went to the call center several times before his shift to talk with workers about CWA and to give them cards.
Coldiron, whose local more than doubles in size because of the victory, credited Cingular with honoring its neutrality agreement. "They even gave us the opportunity to do an onsite visit, and we were able to access employees on their breaks," he said.
Anne Luck, an organizer for Locals 1022 and 1023, spearheaded an effort that involved talking to workers in stores and kiosks throughout much of New Jersey. She was assisted by Rachael Tetrault, a Cingular retail rep in Albany and member of Local 1118, District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie, and Local 1022 Chief Steward Bob Flood.