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Cohen Elected to Take Reins: UNI World Telecom Committee Adopts Action Agenda
More than 40 union leaders from around the world turned CWA headquarters into a virtual United Nations as they held the first meeting on U.S. soil of the Union Network International (UNI) World Telecom Committee.
The committee is the representative body for 3 million telecommunications workers in nearly 100 countries. Its member unions represent workers in the largest telecom companies around the world such as NTT in Japan, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Telemex and British Telecom. UNI represents more than 15 million telecom, professional and information sector workers in 452 unions worldwide.
In a two-day whirlwind, Nov. 8-9, the committee elected CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen its president and took a public stand for fair trade policy that advances workers’ rights and job security. The committee formulated strategy for wireless organizing worldwide, promoting universal telecom services including Internet and voice, coordinating union work at multinational employers and reaching global agreements with multinational telecom companies.
Delegates, equipped with headsets, listened to the proceedings in English, German, French or Spanish, interpreted by members of the Translators and Interpreters Guild, TNG-CWA Local 32100.
Taking Charge
Cohen, elected by acclamation, called for a global action program, particularly in organizing the growing wireless telecom field, urging the world union leaders to “demonstrate we will not be divided by nation, by technology, by gender or by skills.”
Cohen succeeds CWA President Morton Bahr as committee president. Bahr now heads the AFL-CIO Executive Council’s Committee on International Affairs.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney addressed the conference, stating: “When it comes to organizing and bargaining, the American leaders seen at this table are among the best we can put forward. We’re more determined than ever to pull together for working people around the world.”
Sorrow Over Sept. 11
UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings, of the United Kingdom, set a serious tone for the meeting, expressing international solidarity with American union members who have borne the brunt of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“We hope the people here in the United States can feel the depth of our emotion and concern for the hundreds of union members who lost their lives that day,” Jennings said.
In the aftermath of the attacks, which seriously affected economic markets in Europe and Japan as well as the United States, Jennings pointed out that, “We are faced for the first time in a decade with a global, synchronized recession.” He predicted that as many as 24 million jobs, globally, could be lost.
Bahr focused on the domestic fallout of Sept. 11, pointing out that President Bush’s economic stimulus package would give billions of dollars to multinational companies like IBM and GE and to the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans. “Unless you get the money into the hands of working families, you’re not going to revive the economy,” Bahr stressed, informing the committee that CWA supports a Senate bill that would expand unemployment compensation and have the government pay 75 percent of health care premiums for laid-off workers.
CWA’s Research Department presented an analysis of how new technologies, globalization and restructuring are driving change in the telecommunications industry: Competition for the last mile of infrastructure to the home is fierce, as companies compete to provide broadband technology through digital subscriber lines, cable, fiber to the home and satellite, and the penetration of mobile is outstripping fixed telephones in every world market, accounting for 38 percent to 48 percent of total telephony worldwide.
Cingular Difference
With the growth of highly unionized fixed-line telephone service giving way globally to wireless, Cohen pointed to CWA’s experience with Cingular as a prime example of how unions can develop relationships that help both company and union grow. Cingular, born of a merger between SBC and BellSouth wireless properties, has embraced card check and neutrality in union organizing, becoming not only the nation’s second largest wireless company, but also by far the most unionized wireless operation. Of Cingular’s 20,000 eligible employees, 10,000 are already CWA-represented.
Introducing Cingular CEO Stephen Carter, Cohen gave a brief history of CWA’s relationship with the company.
“We took the concept of self-expression (a Cingular marketing slogan) and we looked at how we could integrate it into our collective bargaining relationship,” Cohen said.
CWA Local President 4202 President Maureen Ehlert and Chief Steward Dina Warren described the union’s first organizing drive at Cingular, in District 4, as one that was based upon the common concern of both CWA members and management to provide personal, quality service to Cingular customers.
Carter gave a detailed presentation of how the company is positioning itself within the wireless industry. Cingular, presently concentrating on the U.S. domestic market, is investing heavily in 2.5G (gigabyte) — and ultimately 3G — technology that will make text messaging and wireless Internet fast, practical and affordable. He predicts that by the end of the current decade, the demand for wireless data services will surpass that for voice.
But regardless of industry changes, Carter stressed, “One thing remains the same. The universal constant is people — people we serve and the good people who work with us and are dedicated to providing the best wireless service. And this includes many UNI members through the Communications Workers of America.”
Moving Forward in Solidarity
In setting its course for the coming year, committee members discussed the Cingular experience and shared concerns about how companies and unions are evolving in their own countries.
Francisco Hernández Juarez, president of STRM, represents 55,000 workers at Telmex, Mexico’s primary telecommunications employer. “In Mexico, since July of last year, we’ve seen tremendous change,” Juarez said. But even under the new government of Vincente Fox, he added, corruption prevails and very few collective bargaining agreements are reviewed or enforced by the government.
Rüdiger Schulze of the German telecommunications/services union Ver.di, with 2.7 million members, stressed the importance of taking a unified approach to organizing telephony. “You do not have to reinvent the wheel. Mobile and fixed line both need unionization,” he said.
European union leaders, said Neil Anderson of UNI, must work together to influence the European Union and its impact on policies of the World Trade Organization, as well as regulation of the telecommunications industry.
Gabou Gueye of Senegal, UNI Vice President for Africa, pointed to the need for cross-border investment to expand universal service, but stressed that unions must become stronger to ensure that workers’ rights are respected.
The committee took an assessment of total levels of union penetration at companies worldwide, launched “virtual committees” to promote inter-union cooperation in dealing with common employers, set organizing goals and adopted solidarity projects to support telecom unions in Nigeria, Hong Kong and El Salvador. For example, in Nigeria, U.S. based Price Waterhouse has recommended laying off 8,000 of 11,000 Nitel workers and privatizing the company. Nigerian Delegate Peace Obiajulu told the committee that if the government moves to implement the layoffs, unions there will consider a general strike. Nigeria has a population of 120 million and fewer than 1 million telephones including wireless.
“We know what we need to do,” said Cohen. “We need to motivate each other, celebrate our victories, and act to bring broader and better representation to telecom workers worldwide.”
The committee is the representative body for 3 million telecommunications workers in nearly 100 countries. Its member unions represent workers in the largest telecom companies around the world such as NTT in Japan, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Telemex and British Telecom. UNI represents more than 15 million telecom, professional and information sector workers in 452 unions worldwide.
In a two-day whirlwind, Nov. 8-9, the committee elected CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen its president and took a public stand for fair trade policy that advances workers’ rights and job security. The committee formulated strategy for wireless organizing worldwide, promoting universal telecom services including Internet and voice, coordinating union work at multinational employers and reaching global agreements with multinational telecom companies.
Delegates, equipped with headsets, listened to the proceedings in English, German, French or Spanish, interpreted by members of the Translators and Interpreters Guild, TNG-CWA Local 32100.
Taking Charge
Cohen, elected by acclamation, called for a global action program, particularly in organizing the growing wireless telecom field, urging the world union leaders to “demonstrate we will not be divided by nation, by technology, by gender or by skills.”
Cohen succeeds CWA President Morton Bahr as committee president. Bahr now heads the AFL-CIO Executive Council’s Committee on International Affairs.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney addressed the conference, stating: “When it comes to organizing and bargaining, the American leaders seen at this table are among the best we can put forward. We’re more determined than ever to pull together for working people around the world.”
Sorrow Over Sept. 11
UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings, of the United Kingdom, set a serious tone for the meeting, expressing international solidarity with American union members who have borne the brunt of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“We hope the people here in the United States can feel the depth of our emotion and concern for the hundreds of union members who lost their lives that day,” Jennings said.
In the aftermath of the attacks, which seriously affected economic markets in Europe and Japan as well as the United States, Jennings pointed out that, “We are faced for the first time in a decade with a global, synchronized recession.” He predicted that as many as 24 million jobs, globally, could be lost.
Bahr focused on the domestic fallout of Sept. 11, pointing out that President Bush’s economic stimulus package would give billions of dollars to multinational companies like IBM and GE and to the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans. “Unless you get the money into the hands of working families, you’re not going to revive the economy,” Bahr stressed, informing the committee that CWA supports a Senate bill that would expand unemployment compensation and have the government pay 75 percent of health care premiums for laid-off workers.
CWA’s Research Department presented an analysis of how new technologies, globalization and restructuring are driving change in the telecommunications industry: Competition for the last mile of infrastructure to the home is fierce, as companies compete to provide broadband technology through digital subscriber lines, cable, fiber to the home and satellite, and the penetration of mobile is outstripping fixed telephones in every world market, accounting for 38 percent to 48 percent of total telephony worldwide.
Cingular Difference
With the growth of highly unionized fixed-line telephone service giving way globally to wireless, Cohen pointed to CWA’s experience with Cingular as a prime example of how unions can develop relationships that help both company and union grow. Cingular, born of a merger between SBC and BellSouth wireless properties, has embraced card check and neutrality in union organizing, becoming not only the nation’s second largest wireless company, but also by far the most unionized wireless operation. Of Cingular’s 20,000 eligible employees, 10,000 are already CWA-represented.
Introducing Cingular CEO Stephen Carter, Cohen gave a brief history of CWA’s relationship with the company.
“We took the concept of self-expression (a Cingular marketing slogan) and we looked at how we could integrate it into our collective bargaining relationship,” Cohen said.
CWA Local President 4202 President Maureen Ehlert and Chief Steward Dina Warren described the union’s first organizing drive at Cingular, in District 4, as one that was based upon the common concern of both CWA members and management to provide personal, quality service to Cingular customers.
Carter gave a detailed presentation of how the company is positioning itself within the wireless industry. Cingular, presently concentrating on the U.S. domestic market, is investing heavily in 2.5G (gigabyte) — and ultimately 3G — technology that will make text messaging and wireless Internet fast, practical and affordable. He predicts that by the end of the current decade, the demand for wireless data services will surpass that for voice.
But regardless of industry changes, Carter stressed, “One thing remains the same. The universal constant is people — people we serve and the good people who work with us and are dedicated to providing the best wireless service. And this includes many UNI members through the Communications Workers of America.”
Moving Forward in Solidarity
In setting its course for the coming year, committee members discussed the Cingular experience and shared concerns about how companies and unions are evolving in their own countries.
Francisco Hernández Juarez, president of STRM, represents 55,000 workers at Telmex, Mexico’s primary telecommunications employer. “In Mexico, since July of last year, we’ve seen tremendous change,” Juarez said. But even under the new government of Vincente Fox, he added, corruption prevails and very few collective bargaining agreements are reviewed or enforced by the government.
Rüdiger Schulze of the German telecommunications/services union Ver.di, with 2.7 million members, stressed the importance of taking a unified approach to organizing telephony. “You do not have to reinvent the wheel. Mobile and fixed line both need unionization,” he said.
European union leaders, said Neil Anderson of UNI, must work together to influence the European Union and its impact on policies of the World Trade Organization, as well as regulation of the telecommunications industry.
Gabou Gueye of Senegal, UNI Vice President for Africa, pointed to the need for cross-border investment to expand universal service, but stressed that unions must become stronger to ensure that workers’ rights are respected.
The committee took an assessment of total levels of union penetration at companies worldwide, launched “virtual committees” to promote inter-union cooperation in dealing with common employers, set organizing goals and adopted solidarity projects to support telecom unions in Nigeria, Hong Kong and El Salvador. For example, in Nigeria, U.S. based Price Waterhouse has recommended laying off 8,000 of 11,000 Nitel workers and privatizing the company. Nigerian Delegate Peace Obiajulu told the committee that if the government moves to implement the layoffs, unions there will consider a general strike. Nigeria has a population of 120 million and fewer than 1 million telephones including wireless.
“We know what we need to do,” said Cohen. “We need to motivate each other, celebrate our victories, and act to bring broader and better representation to telecom workers worldwide.”