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.
Dona Ana County Sheriffs Lead Parade of New CWAers
It was a good week for organizing, with reports of nearly 300 new members including police, nurses, teachers and broadcast technicians.
CWA defeated the Fraternal Order of Police, 54-51, on Jan. 19, as 104 deputies and sergeants in the Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriff's Department chose the union that would represent their bargaining unit of 110. Six officers were ineligible to vote because they had not yet attained permanent status on the job.
"This election victory is very important for our local and will give us the momentum to pick up other public safety groups throughout New Mexico," said CWA Local 7911 President Steve Harvey.
The victory brings the total of public safety employees represented by the local to about 400. All in New Mexico, they include the Rio Rancho Public Safety Department, Farmington Police, Santa Fe County Deputies, Otero County Deputies, Alamagordo Public Safety and Socorro County Deputies.
John Burpo, director of the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers-CWA, said the campaign took about 18 months because of local boards taking time to implement procedures for compliance with New Mexico's new collective bargaining law and because of confusion over which labor board – state or county – would hold jurisdiction in the election.
Also, Burpo said, the FOP tried unsuccessfully to dilute CWA's strength by petitioning to add lieutenants, civilian managers and dispatchers to the unit.
Local part-time organizer Sean Bergen and Deputy James Lee played key roles in a campaign built upon raising wages and improving working conditions.
Local 1122 in Buffalo, N.Y., picked up four licensed practical nurses in a National Labor Relations Board election on Jan. 15. The Visiting Nurses Association in Cheektowaga had just added the LPN title and four nurses to its approximately 300 registered nurses and support staff.
The local also reached agreement with the Northwest Buffalo Community Center to accrete about 60 new part-time employees into a larger unit it represents there.
"The community center received a state and federal grant for about $275,000 for after-school programs, and they went to the Buffalo teachers looking for certified teachers to work as tutors," said Organizing Chair John Mudie. "Then the employer came to us and said, 'we'd like these people to be in the union."'
Local area Vice President Jim Wagner and Mudie worked out the accretion agreement, getting the OK on Jan. 14, and local organizer Dawn Kuznik talked with the workers.
"They'll come under the existing contract," Mudie said. "We just need to sit down and work out a wage scale and progression."
NABET-CWA Local 51011 in New York City on Jan. 21 announced a voluntary recognition for about 19 employees at Quantum Technology Inc. who perform broadcast and industrial integration work at facilities across the United States."We are obviously very pleased that Quantum Technology agreed to voluntarily recognize the unit," said Gene Garnes, Local 51011 secretary and director of organizing. "Not only will the employees benefit by this positive relationship, but by forming a working partnership, it will help to formulate a genuine and long-lasting relationship between the union and the company."
CWA defeated the Fraternal Order of Police, 54-51, on Jan. 19, as 104 deputies and sergeants in the Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriff's Department chose the union that would represent their bargaining unit of 110. Six officers were ineligible to vote because they had not yet attained permanent status on the job.
"This election victory is very important for our local and will give us the momentum to pick up other public safety groups throughout New Mexico," said CWA Local 7911 President Steve Harvey.
The victory brings the total of public safety employees represented by the local to about 400. All in New Mexico, they include the Rio Rancho Public Safety Department, Farmington Police, Santa Fe County Deputies, Otero County Deputies, Alamagordo Public Safety and Socorro County Deputies.
John Burpo, director of the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers-CWA, said the campaign took about 18 months because of local boards taking time to implement procedures for compliance with New Mexico's new collective bargaining law and because of confusion over which labor board – state or county – would hold jurisdiction in the election.
Also, Burpo said, the FOP tried unsuccessfully to dilute CWA's strength by petitioning to add lieutenants, civilian managers and dispatchers to the unit.
Local part-time organizer Sean Bergen and Deputy James Lee played key roles in a campaign built upon raising wages and improving working conditions.
Local 1122 in Buffalo, N.Y., picked up four licensed practical nurses in a National Labor Relations Board election on Jan. 15. The Visiting Nurses Association in Cheektowaga had just added the LPN title and four nurses to its approximately 300 registered nurses and support staff.
The local also reached agreement with the Northwest Buffalo Community Center to accrete about 60 new part-time employees into a larger unit it represents there.
"The community center received a state and federal grant for about $275,000 for after-school programs, and they went to the Buffalo teachers looking for certified teachers to work as tutors," said Organizing Chair John Mudie. "Then the employer came to us and said, 'we'd like these people to be in the union."'
Local area Vice President Jim Wagner and Mudie worked out the accretion agreement, getting the OK on Jan. 14, and local organizer Dawn Kuznik talked with the workers.
"They'll come under the existing contract," Mudie said. "We just need to sit down and work out a wage scale and progression."
NABET-CWA Local 51011 in New York City on Jan. 21 announced a voluntary recognition for about 19 employees at Quantum Technology Inc. who perform broadcast and industrial integration work at facilities across the United States."We are obviously very pleased that Quantum Technology agreed to voluntarily recognize the unit," said Gene Garnes, Local 51011 secretary and director of organizing. "Not only will the employees benefit by this positive relationship, but by forming a working partnership, it will help to formulate a genuine and long-lasting relationship between the union and the company."