S-T Talk August 2026

Prior issues of S-T Talk are available on our website. Just visit cwa.org/s-t-talk

QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS: 

Please join us on August 25, 2026, from 3pm - 4pm ET for the S-T Townhall Zoom meeting. Please click here to register to attend the Zoom meeting. Mark your calendars for November 24th, from 3pm - 4pm ET, to ensure that you do not miss any of the S-T Townhalls in 2026.

We are always looking for topics to cover that are of interest to you, so please email stoffice@cwa-union.org and let me know what is of interest to you.

FINANCE: 

Reimbursement Deadline
Locals please remember that all reimbursements need to be submitted to CWA and processed within 90 days of the event.

COPE-COMPLIANCE: 

Local LM Filing Deadline (For Fiscal Year Ending September 30th):
Locals with a Fiscal Year Ending date of September 30, 2026, have an LM filing with the Department of Labor due electronically by December 29, 2026.
 

OLMS – Compliance Assistance Seminar
The United States Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), invites you to attend a virtual Compliance Assistance Seminar, designed for union officers, staff, and other interested union officials. The conference dates and times are listed below. These free sessions will cover the following topics:

Registration is limited to 1,000 participants per session. If you have any questions or need clarification, you may call the Philadelphia Office at (215) 861-4820 or the Pittsburgh Office at (412) 395-6925, or email us at OLMS.ComplianceAssistance.PHIPGHDO@dol.gov.

DUES: 

Payment Addresses - Do You Know What Goes Where?
Now that the demolition and construction in our HQ building is in full swing, we are all working remotely most of the time. As a result, we are trying to reduce the mail volume wherever possible.

Below is our current guide for payments.

Payment for anything billed in Aptify should be sent to:
CWA Billings
PO Box 79901
Baltimore, MD 21279-0901

Please include a copy of the Open Invoices report showing what is being paid, or write the invoice #’s on the memo line of the check.

Payment for a top-down unit that went to the local, or is being paid by the local, should be sent to:
CWA Dues
PO Box 79176
Baltimore, MD 21279-0176

If you know the PU #, pls write it on the memo line of the check.

Payment for CWA COPE made at the local level, or received by the local:
CWA COPE
PO Box 79808
Baltimore, MD 21279-0808

Please include a detailed list of who paid. It should include the CWA ID, full name and amount.

Payment for *anything else* should be sent to:
CWA Misc. Deposits
PO Box 791923
Baltimore, MD 21279-1923

This includes, but is not limited to:

• HQ Conference/Convention Registration
• Return of SIF/GROWTH Fund advance balance
• Closed local bank account closure check
• Expense reimbursement to HQ
• Non-Dues check sent to the local in error

It is *very important* that anything sent to this box includes backup documentation (letter, copy of email/invoice showing payment due, an explanation written on the check stub etc.). The Finance Department clerk will not know what it is for, or where to forward payment notification, if you don’t.

Please check the HQ address(es) in your accounting software and update as needed. If you have regular payments for multiple types of things, it may make more sense to remove the vendor address from your system entirely and use pre-printed mailing labels.

If you’re ever not sure where to send something, we are always there to help at duesquestions@cwa-union.org!

APTIFY SERIES: DID YOU KNOW? 

Member Mailing Lists and Labels in Preparation for Contract Ratification or Local Union Election

Aptify has tools to help prepare for these votes. On the Reports page in the Member Status Reports section, there is a Voter Eligibility Report. This report contains all active members in a processing unit who are eligible to vote in a contract ratification or local union election. It includes member status, mailing address, email, cell phone, and work location.

This report can be exported to an Excel spreadsheet to create a voting roster by clicking the “Export to Excel” button above the report table. The “Email Addresses” button will give a list of emails to copy and paste. “Create Labels” will create a list of mailing addresses you can print onto Avery labels (2 or 3 column format options). For mailing labels, we recommend selecting “Preferred Address”.

You can also create a custom roster from the Search page. Be sure to filter to the correct member statuses and PU number(s) for the vote (see last month’s S-T Talk for tips on filtering!). Use the same buttons (Export to Excel, Email Addresses, and Create Labels) to get the information you need.

Tip: For the best possible participation in an electronic contract ratification vote over email or text, work year round to keep personal email addresses and cell phone numbers up to date in Aptify.

If you have any questions, please email AptifySupport@cwa-union.org.

MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS: 

Training on Using Social Media and Other Communications Tools

Join CWA’s Communications Department for our regularly scheduled monthly trainings on communications tools and strategies. In addition, we have a video library of previous training sessions for on-demand learning.

Check out our training schedule and recordings of previous training sessions here: cwa-union.org/CommsTrainings. 

You can also reach out to the CWA Communications Department by submitting a support request.

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It): 

2026 CWA Annual Training Schedule: Level Up Your Skills!
Our 2026 training calendar is now available with packed sessions designed to make your work smoother and your skills sharper! Whether you’re new to Aptify or just need a refresher, we’ve got you covered.

To sign up for one of our training sessions, please complete and submit this form. If you have any questions, email us at AptifySupport@cwa-union.org.

Free downloadable CWA Materials items available in the CWA Learning Lab! You now have the opportunity to browse and download select CWA Materials resources for free! This option helps you save on printing and shipping costs while giving you instant access to materials you can easily share with your members.

To get started, log into Aptify and click CWA Learning Lab in the top navigation menu. Then, click on the CWA Materials Downloadable Items module to view the full list of available resources. You can read more details HERE and reach out to AptifySupport@cwa-union.org with any questions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

Local Officers Resources and Information:
CWA Union Operating Procedures Manual (UOPM)- This comprehensive manual is a great guide to help Local officers in navigating our Union’s policies and procedures. It includes topics like the organizational structure, Constitution, Local Officer duties and responsibilities, organizing, Local Finances, Federal reporting, Local meetings, membership database, dues processing, Local bylaws, records retention, strike manual and so much more. Click here to view the UOPM.

For Locals- Another great online resource with reference materials, contract database, convention proceedings and biennial reports, online communications tools for Locals, forms, materials, databases, stewards training portal and Local directory. Click here to access information for CWA Locals.

DISASTER RELIEF INFORMATION: 

Union Plus: A complete resource for all things Disaster Related assistance from Union Plus.
Please distribute this flyer with valuable information to your members. unionplus.org/assistance.

Updated CWA Disaster Relief Applications for US and Canada
Now a convenient fillable form and easier process when your property is declared a complete loss.

Disaster Relief Fund Member Handbook - US

Disaster Relief Member Handbook - Canada

In Unity,

Ameenah Salaam
Secretary-Treasurer