Political Movement for Change Tops CWA's Goals for 2008

CWA's goals for 2008, set by the Executive Board at a meeting in Washington last week, center on strengthening the union's grassroots political structure and building an Election '08 ground campaign to elect leaders who support passing the Employee Free Choice Act, comprehensive health care reform, bolstering retirement security, and creation of good jobs.

The Board called for continuing to implement points 1 through 10 in the Ready for the Future program with a special focus this year of achieving at least a 10 percent increase in COPE contributions and 10 percent membership growth in CWA's Retired Members Council.

A priority in 2008 is building a political structure by congressional district that includes one-on-one relationships with elected leaders and candidates, along with expanded membership education and involvement.

In support of the critical Employee Free Choice Act, CWA's goals are to elect a filibuster-proof Senate majority of 60 supporters and to deepen the commitment of the Democratic presidential nominee.  CWA will participate in a campaign with the AFL-CIO and American Rights at Work to collect signatures of 1 million supporters of the bill, with a CWA target of at least 15 percent of our membership.

The push for a federal solution to the health care crisis will be a key part of CWA's political program this year with particular emphasis on the situation of retirees under 65 who don't qualify for Medicare.

And CWA will work to build on the resolve of unions around the world, stemming from the Global Union Federation conference in Washington in December, to make strengthening of organizing and bargaining rights labor's top international priority.  Global leaders at the conference stressed that declining union representation in the United States threatens workers' rights and standards throughout the world.

The Executive Board also laid out specific bargaining and organizing goals for 2008 in every CWA sector and industry.  Click here for a complete listing of international and telecom, sector, division and district goals.