CWA, UAW, Steelworkers and IFPTE Create New Strategic Alliance

CWA and three unions representing more than 3 million active and retired members are working together in a new strategic alliance to achieve our members' four key priorities: the Employee Free Choice Act, health care reform, jobs and fair trade and retirement security.

CWA, the United Auto Workers, the United Steelworkers and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers will share resources and develop political and legislative strategies, member mobilizations and other actions to build a political movement that puts workers' rights and protections at the top of the nation's agenda. Read the full statement here.

The unions have agreed that the first critical step is enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act and all are major backers of the Million Member Mobilization, the campaign that will send photos and signatures of more than a million workers to Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill with the message "Pass the Employee Free Choice Act now!"  Read more about the Employee Free Choice Act at ga.cwa-union.org/efca/. 

"Only by restoring bargaining rights for U.S. workers will we be able to transform our political landscape, achieve such critical goals as universal health care and begin to rebuild the middle class," said CWA President Larry Cohen. These unions, along with CWA, have long worked to promote workers rights, and "this Alliance enables us to expand those efforts and resources and help build a political movement that will make real gains for working families."

"Working people who have health care are struggling to maintain it," said USW President Leo Gerard. "It's time that America met the health care challenges the way the rest of the industrialized world has by making health care universally affordable and accessible." 

"This partnership will enhance our ability as a union to challenge political leaders of all stripes to do what is truly necessary to address the many critical concerns of America's working men and women," said IFPTE President Greg Junemann.

Junemann said the IFPTE's recent move to CWA headquarters will help make the organization even stronger. "We've always valued our relationship with CWA, both in terms of organization and personnel. We're experiencing lots of solidarity and support" and are glad to be working together on the issues that are so important to working men and women. 

The four unions have worked together on trade, jobs, health care and retirement security, including the campaign to keep retiree health care for Goodyear workers, actions to defend the interests of Delphi members, and campaigns against outsourcing and offshoring.

"Working together, we'll be stronger than ever," said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "There's no doubt that working people need a strong voice to speak truth to the forces of wealth and privilege that have thrown our political and economic system dangerously out of balance."