Resolutions Address Union, Workers' Issues

Ensuring voting rights for all, protecting pensions and keeping American jobs at home were among the issues delegates pledged to fight for in resolutions passed at CWA's 67th annual convention.

In addition to approving resolutions to chart CWA's future (See the full text of the Resolution) and energetically support International Human Rights Day (see Workers' Rights Focus of Human Rights Day, Dec. 10), delegates resolved to:

• Build stronger Central Labor Councils, recognizing that more power among union members locally can help organizing and bargaining drives, improving workers' rights on the job and the lives of all working families.
  
  
• Call on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to end the lockout of 5,500 CBC workers represented by The Newspaper Guild-CWA in Canada who have been fighting for a fair contract with job security for more than a year. The public broadcaster locked them out Aug. 15. (See Global Protests Support Locked-Out Canadian Journalists.)
  
  
• Keep the momentum going from the 2004 political campaign, labor's biggest mobilization ever, by starting now to mobilize for 2006 and 2008 elections, as well as races in some states this fall.
  
  
• Stop the attacks on workers' retirement funds by fighting for healthy defined benefit pensions and vigorously opposing efforts to destroy Social Security and weaken other pension options.
  
  
• Lobby for the renewal of key provisions in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that are set to expire Aug. 6, 2007, including a provision providing assistance to voters who don't speak fluent English.
  
  
• Name newly retired CWA President Morton Bahr "President Emeritus," recognizing his 20 years of tireless leadership, his 51 years of commitment to CWA and his strong and compassionate character.
  
  
• Seize control of the economic agenda from corporate robber barons by fighting tax cuts for the rich, trade pacts that cost American jobs, outsourcing and other economic policies that devastate working families while enriching hugely profitable companies and wealthy stockholders.
  
  
• Defend CWA members and locals against attempted raids by unions that have pulled out of the AFL-CIO and are trying to steal members to build their association.