Working Together: Reset and Move Forward

There’s no doubt about it: our union, our movement and all working families are facing tough times.

The political power of the Big Business lobby and the Chamber of Commerce has never been greater. The Senate, following archaic rules that require 60 votes to even bring a bill to the floor, has enabled Republicans to obstruct the nation’s business, put holds on nominees and block critical measures for working families, like an extension of unemployment compensation and financial reform that would prevent another Wall Street meltdown.  

A year ago, we were energized by our success in electing President Obama and pro-worker majorities in the House and Senate. Now, a year later, we’re disappointed that we haven’t been able to push workers’ rights legislation forward.

We’re not the only ones who are disappointed. The progressive agenda of our allies who like us are working for positive change also has been stalled. That’s why we’re joining forces like never before.

We need a new path that will enable us to build our bargaining power and bring about economic growth that benefits families like ours.

We’ve worked with the Obama administration on modest health care reform, on initiatives to build out broadband and support green jobs and in gaining some key appointments, including two members to the National Labor Relations Board and a key member on the National Mediation Board.

As a result of the appointments to the NLRB, thousands of CWAers have some hope. Because of fair appointments to the NMB, airline elections now will operate under the same standard as every other U.S. election. For 7,000 AFA-CWA flight attendants at the former Northwest Airlines, now merged with Delta, that means a real opportunity to keep their bargaining rights and extend those rights to 13,000 more Delta flight attendants.  

Our public sector members in states like West Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, Arizona and others have no collective bargaining rights. But as we continue to build strong organizations in those states, we’re also building the political power necessary to make those bargaining rights a reality.

In Arkansas, CWA members came very close to defeating incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln, who has shown all too clearly that her interests lie with the Chamber of Commerce and Big Business, not the working people of Arkansas she once promised to represent. That campaign put every elected official on notice: “if you want our support, you have to earn it.”

We’re broadening our movement by reaching out to new allies. The Sierra Club and environmental community share our goal of environmentally sustainable communities, green jobs and building out the 21st century broadband networks that will make these communities a reality. The National Urban League, the NAACP and others share our goal of bringing economic growth to urban communities and rural areas alike.