Million Member Mobilization Gains Steam on Eve of 'August Blitz'

The number of CWAers signing on to the Million Member Mobilization for the Employee Free Choice Act jumped nearly 30 percent since the last week as members are recognizing how the legislation will strengthen bargaining power during negotiations with employers.

As of July 28, nearly 18,000 members had signed up as CWA prepares to launch a nationwide "August blitz" to reach a target of 65,000 signed cards by month's end. CWA's total goal is 80,000.

"Our members get the connection that Employee Free Choice has to bargaining power," says District 7 Staff Rep Joe Gosiger. "Throughout the district, our shop stewards are driving home the linkage between bargaining rights and what they get in negotiations, and are passing out the cards during contract ratifications," he said.

At a ratification meeting for workers at a security alarm company, Local 7705 shop steward Sam Grondin persuaded every worker to sign up after he explained how low union density has handicapped them in bargaining. "They work at the only union-represented security alarm company in the area," said Gosiger.

Locals have also been signing up members during Verizon bargaining mobilization rallies last week in New York City and today in Boston. Card-signing activities are spreading throughout the country as members are recognizing the urgency of Employee Free Choice. "Every staff person is involved at the district level," says District 6 Area Director Michael Littleton. "We're even bringing cards to grievance hearings," he said. Currently, Districts 2 and 6 are leading all other districts, in terms of percentages of members signed up.

CWA's signed cards, along with photos of members who have signed, will be added to cards and photos from dozens of other participating unions from both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win. The goal is to gather cards from a million union members to show how strongly workers support the Employee Free Choice Act and to display them at the U.S. Capitol when the new Congress is sworn in.

Since last week's newsletter report, 26 more CWA locals have met or exceeded their goal of signing up 15 percent or more of their members:

Dist. 1: 1013, 1020, 1300, 81244, ­Dist. 2: 2001, 2004, 2201, 2206, Dist. 3: 3113, 3706, 3903, Dist. 4: 4070, 4216, 4252, 4370, 4371, Dist. 6: 6007, 6110, 6139, 6206, 6311, 6410, Dist. 7: 7212, 7219, 7990, Dist. 13: 14838.

Click here, http://www.freechoiceact.org/cwa/localinfo/, for a full listing of locals that have fulfilled their 15 percent pledge.