BattleAxe Digital Workers Secure Voluntary Union Recognition with CWA

Washington, D.C. — In a victory for organizing the progressive digital agencies ahead of midterm elections, workers at BattleAxe Digital have formed a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2336, joining thousands of workers who have organized with CWA’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA). BattleAxe Digital is a women-owned, full-service digital agency based in Washington, D.C., that boasts progressive clients, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Education Association (NEA), and several national unions.

“So many of us have backgrounds in union organizing or come from previously organized workplaces, and many of BattleAxe’s clients are unions themselves. Unionizing reflects the progressive values that BattleAxe has cultivated and stands as a testament to how much we all care about the work that we do,” said CWA Local 2336 member Neha Cremin, a senior creative associate at BattleAxe Digital. “My hope is that we can work with management during bargaining to standardize how policies are communicated and enforced in a first union contract to make sure that everyone has a reasonable workload and the support to succeed.”

Last month, worker-organizers at BattleAxe Digital presented management with a letter requesting voluntary recognition after a supermajority of their eligible co-workers signaled their desire to be represented by CWA. BattleAxe Digital voluntarily recognized the workers’ union within 24 hours. Voluntary recognition is a streamlined pathway to union recognition endorsed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In a first contract, BattleAxe Digital workers hope to secure fair compensation, transparency, accountability, economic security, and sustainable work. “This union is an investment in our coworkers, our future colleagues, and the continued success of BattleAxe Digital,” the letter reads.

“In our DC office, we have framed posters and campaign signs on the walls from the labor movement and their many-faceted fights for justice,” said CWA Local 2336 member Grace Duginski, a fundraising content specialist at BattleAxe Digital. “Our union will now allow us to build the kind of workplace that embraces and reflects our Democratic values, and empowers us all. Like our clients, we as workers care deeply about fighting for what’s right and winning by working together.”

“Collective bargaining is one of the best ways for employees and management to maintain an open, healthy dialogue about the workplace we share. When workers have a collective voice and a seat at the table, we can work together to address challenges, protect what’s working, and build a stronger workplace for everyone,” said CWA Local 2336 member Sam Tuero, a digital fundraising specialist at BattleAxe Digital. “My hope is that our union creates a lasting structure for that partnership at BattleAxe where employees feel heard and supported, and where we can keep doing the creative, meaningful work that makes BattleAxe special.”

“As we head into a critical midterm election, the people producing the creative, driving the fundraising, and running the digital campaigns for Democratic candidates and progressive causes deserve the same voice on the job that they're fighting for everyone else to have," said Melissa Smith-Kupihea, President of CWA Local 2336. "We're proud to welcome BattleAxe’s workers into CWA, and we stand with them as they head into bargaining for a first contract.”

For more union updates, follow BattleAxe Workers United-CWA on Instagram and X.

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About CODE-CWA

The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.

About CWA

The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion