In The News: Arbitrator: Windstream Must Recognize CWA

In a groundbreaking decision, an arbitrator in Texas has ruled that Windstream Communications must abide by a neutrality and expedited election agreement CWA had with parent company Valor prior to a corporate spin off in 2006.

The ruling applies to all of Windstream's workplaces, bringing more than 3,000 of the company's unrepresented workers under the organizing agreement. Windstream, based in 16 states, is the largest provider of wireline voice, Internet, and satellite TV programming in rural America, with some 3.4 million access lines.

CWA Telecom Vice President Jimmy Gurganus said officers at Local 6171 in Krum, Texas, "did a tremendous job in preparing evidence in what was a very complex arbitration."