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.
Organizing Roundup: Spectrum of Victories Expands Union by 700 Members
Two voluntary recognitions in District 6 brought 400 new members to CWA this spring. Then a rash of smaller victories in the United States and Canada added another 300.
Local 6215 and Local 6132 won recognition for 270 workers at SBC Internet Services. The campaign began in fall 2004 when the district began to look into jobs that the locals believed should be in the bargaining unit but which the company classified as management.
"The locals identified people they knew in the units and started meeting, building lists, internal committees and majority support," District 6 Organizing Coordinator Sandy Rusher said.
Former employees of Southwestern Bell Telephone in Dallas, listed as surplus two years ago, now work for SBC Internet Services. They already knew the benefits of CWA membership and made up the initial organizing committee.
In a campaign fueled by job insecurity, lack of a wage progression and other issues, more workers joined them in demanding a union. Their duties range from provisioning and customer service to network support.
Working on the campaign, with the support of Rusher and District 6 Area Director Danny Fetonte, were Vice President Al Hunte and Opal Oliver of Local 6215, and Luz Riley and Richard McCullough of Local 6137.
The second District 6 victory came when Hanson and McClain, a nationwide company providing financial advice to employees in the telecommunications and utilities sectors, recognized Local 6171 as bargaining representative for 130 financial advisers. Local 6171 Executive Vice President James Smith and CWA Representative Donna Bentley, assisted by Rusher, helped the employees organize. The company agreed to voluntary recognition April 1.
On April 18, administrative staff for the Bergen County Judiciary in New Jersey chose CWA over another union by a vote of 86-26, for a unit of 141.
"This was a unique situation," said District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie. "The workers' previous union dissolved and tried to affiliate them with no membership vote into OPEIU. The membership wanted to have a choice in their union, and approached CWA."
Rich Holmes and Kathy Mirra, CWA Local 1034 stewards for the Bergen County professional unit, took the lead on the campaign, assisted by local Staff Representatives Gail Richardson and John Seiler, and Bowie.
"We're thrilled to have the administrative staff join the professional staff to strengthen our representation of Bergen County court employees," Local 1034 President Carla Katz said.
Also in April, the Canadian Media Guild/Local 30213, filed to become the officially certified union to represent about 80 employees at Toronto 1, a television station owned by Quebecor.
Over the past few months, Toronto 1 employees have been working with the Guild to bring a union to the station to address long hours, unpaid overtime, random decisions and lack of planning."
The application is now pending before the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Certification in short order is a virtual certainty. "It's not like here, where employers file all kinds of objections," said Eric Geist, administrative assistant to TNG-CWA President Linda Foley.
In another victory, CWA Local 9423 brought in 22 technicians who maintain satellite communications equipment at the Camp Roberts military base near San Jose, Calif.
The Rome Research Corp. workers faced frequent threats of firing, did not get health insurance benefits they had been promised, and the company withheld from them a cost-of-living allowance that had been included in the job bid.
"Their choice was overwhelmingly 'for' CWA," said Virginia Rodriguez-Jones, administrative assistant to District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler.
Local 6215 and Local 6132 won recognition for 270 workers at SBC Internet Services. The campaign began in fall 2004 when the district began to look into jobs that the locals believed should be in the bargaining unit but which the company classified as management.
"The locals identified people they knew in the units and started meeting, building lists, internal committees and majority support," District 6 Organizing Coordinator Sandy Rusher said.
Former employees of Southwestern Bell Telephone in Dallas, listed as surplus two years ago, now work for SBC Internet Services. They already knew the benefits of CWA membership and made up the initial organizing committee.
In a campaign fueled by job insecurity, lack of a wage progression and other issues, more workers joined them in demanding a union. Their duties range from provisioning and customer service to network support.
Working on the campaign, with the support of Rusher and District 6 Area Director Danny Fetonte, were Vice President Al Hunte and Opal Oliver of Local 6215, and Luz Riley and Richard McCullough of Local 6137.
The second District 6 victory came when Hanson and McClain, a nationwide company providing financial advice to employees in the telecommunications and utilities sectors, recognized Local 6171 as bargaining representative for 130 financial advisers. Local 6171 Executive Vice President James Smith and CWA Representative Donna Bentley, assisted by Rusher, helped the employees organize. The company agreed to voluntary recognition April 1.
On April 18, administrative staff for the Bergen County Judiciary in New Jersey chose CWA over another union by a vote of 86-26, for a unit of 141.
"This was a unique situation," said District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie. "The workers' previous union dissolved and tried to affiliate them with no membership vote into OPEIU. The membership wanted to have a choice in their union, and approached CWA."
Rich Holmes and Kathy Mirra, CWA Local 1034 stewards for the Bergen County professional unit, took the lead on the campaign, assisted by local Staff Representatives Gail Richardson and John Seiler, and Bowie.
"We're thrilled to have the administrative staff join the professional staff to strengthen our representation of Bergen County court employees," Local 1034 President Carla Katz said.
Also in April, the Canadian Media Guild/Local 30213, filed to become the officially certified union to represent about 80 employees at Toronto 1, a television station owned by Quebecor.
Over the past few months, Toronto 1 employees have been working with the Guild to bring a union to the station to address long hours, unpaid overtime, random decisions and lack of planning."
The application is now pending before the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Certification in short order is a virtual certainty. "It's not like here, where employers file all kinds of objections," said Eric Geist, administrative assistant to TNG-CWA President Linda Foley.
In another victory, CWA Local 9423 brought in 22 technicians who maintain satellite communications equipment at the Camp Roberts military base near San Jose, Calif.
The Rome Research Corp. workers faced frequent threats of firing, did not get health insurance benefits they had been promised, and the company withheld from them a cost-of-living allowance that had been included in the job bid.
"Their choice was overwhelmingly 'for' CWA," said Virginia Rodriguez-Jones, administrative assistant to District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler.