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Unions Forming Committee to Coordinate Strategies
Telecom, Arts, Media and Entertainment CWA along with its broadcast and journalism sectors, NABET-CWA and The Newspaper Guild-CWA, are joining with seven other unions to form the first industry coordinating committee (ICC) being established as part of the AFL-CIO's new reform program, "Winning for Working Families."
The goal of the new Arts, Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications ICC is to bring a strategic focus to addressing "rapid media consolidation and massive shifts in this industry," the AFL-CIO Executive Council stated on Oct. 6 in approving a request by the unions to develop the new committee. The ICC will officially take effect upon approval by leaders of all the unions.
Other unions taking part in the committee are Actors Equity, the Musicians, AFTRA, IATSE, IBEW, Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America East.
The unions "will work together to devise joint organizing and collective bargaining strategies in conjunction with their long-standing collaborative work on legislation and public policy," said Paul Almeida, president of the federation's Department for Professional Employees. All of the unions have worked together within the DPE on media concentration and other issues.
The new committee "can be a tremendous force for building power for workers at the giant media conglomerates," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "We are sending a message to these employers - we will no longer deal with you just as a telecom or cable company, or as a TV network, news chain or entertainment provider. Just as our employers are integrating all of these businesses, we are integrating our own resources and strategic efforts to organize and bargain more effectively."
The AFL-CIO will be setting up other coordinating committees to bring together unions in common industries and occupations as part of the reform program approved at the AFL-CIO convention last July.
Also on its agenda at the Washington meeting, the Executive Council reviewed plans for a massive mobilization for workers' rights on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day; discussed union political action efforts in the major California, New Jersey and Virginia elections, and laid out a campaign to push for good jobs and accountability in rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and to address nationwide the economic and social disparities these tragedies have helped to spotlight.
The Council also approved a charter to bring the 60,000-member United Transportation Union into the AFL-CIO.
The goal of the new Arts, Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications ICC is to bring a strategic focus to addressing "rapid media consolidation and massive shifts in this industry," the AFL-CIO Executive Council stated on Oct. 6 in approving a request by the unions to develop the new committee. The ICC will officially take effect upon approval by leaders of all the unions.
Other unions taking part in the committee are Actors Equity, the Musicians, AFTRA, IATSE, IBEW, Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America East.
The unions "will work together to devise joint organizing and collective bargaining strategies in conjunction with their long-standing collaborative work on legislation and public policy," said Paul Almeida, president of the federation's Department for Professional Employees. All of the unions have worked together within the DPE on media concentration and other issues.
The new committee "can be a tremendous force for building power for workers at the giant media conglomerates," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "We are sending a message to these employers - we will no longer deal with you just as a telecom or cable company, or as a TV network, news chain or entertainment provider. Just as our employers are integrating all of these businesses, we are integrating our own resources and strategic efforts to organize and bargain more effectively."
The AFL-CIO will be setting up other coordinating committees to bring together unions in common industries and occupations as part of the reform program approved at the AFL-CIO convention last July.
Also on its agenda at the Washington meeting, the Executive Council reviewed plans for a massive mobilization for workers' rights on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day; discussed union political action efforts in the major California, New Jersey and Virginia elections, and laid out a campaign to push for good jobs and accountability in rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and to address nationwide the economic and social disparities these tragedies have helped to spotlight.
The Council also approved a charter to bring the 60,000-member United Transportation Union into the AFL-CIO.