Organizing Roundup: Facebook Helps Rural Va. Workers Join CWA

Networking on Facebook Helps Rural Virginia Telecom Workers Join CWA

Seeking better pay, benefits and working conditions, 40 AT&T Mobility workers in southern Virginia became members of CWA Local 2204 last week through majority sign-up.

The former Alltel workers in the communities of Norton, Danville and South Hill used Facebook to communicate with one another and with local organizer Leabern Kennedy. "We're glad to have these workers aboard," Local 2204 President Chuck Simpson said.

CWA represents about 43,000 AT&T Mobility workers. Alltel employees joined the company as part of the AT&T/Alltel/Zodiac acquisition. In other organizing news:

• In Piscataway, N.J., six AT&T technicians at the company's Internet Data Center organized with CWA Local 1150 through majority sign-up.
• In Maryland and Virginia, 68 Verizon Enterprise Workers joined CWA through voluntary recognition and were brought under the existing agreement.
• In Springfield, Va., five drivers at Big Apple Limousine became members of with Local 2336 through voluntary recognition.