S-T Talk - December 2025

December 15, 2025

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

QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS:
We will continue our quarterly Local Secretary-Treasurer’s Town Hall Zoom meetings in 2026. Mark your calendars for February 24th, May 26th, August 25th, and November 24th, from 3 pm - 4 pm ET. Be sure to update your email in Aptify so we can send you the Zoom invitation. During our next Town Hall, Susan Sumara from our Dues Department will provide an update on the changes regarding the payment of Per Capita dues to the International Union as a result of the resolution passed at our last convention..

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.

COPE-COMPLIANCE:
Annual Financial Statement
Article XIII, Section 9, M Requires that all Locals furnish copies of their annual financial statement to the Union’s Secretary-Treasurer. The Compliance office is asking that Locals remit PDF copies of these statements to CWAMail@cwa-union.org.

LM Reports
Locals with a Fiscal Year Ending date of September 30, 2025, have an LM filing with the Department of Labor due electronically by December 29, 2025.

Reporting Requirements:

• If total annual receipts are less than $10,000, Locals may use the online Form LM-4;
• If total annual receipts are less than $250,000, Locals may use the online Form LM-3;
• If total annual receipts are more than $250,000, Locals must use the online Form LM-2.

Go to the following links for more info on the LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/olms/reports/forms/lm-1-lm-2-lm-3-lm-4

IUE Labor Organization Bond
The IUE Labor Organization Bond is set to expire on January 1, 2026. Compliance will automatically renew the bonds at their current coverages, unless a local requests an increase or decrease.

Keep an eye out in early January for invoices, and please remit payment to the insurance company as soon as possible. Contact cwamail@cwa-union.org if you have any questions about your local’s coverage.

PAF Cards:
To strengthen our outreach and better connect with our members, we kindly ask everyone to update Aptify with the contact information listed on the PAF cards as they are entered. Keeping this information current helps ensure that our communications are timely, accurate, and effective.

Please be sure to update:

• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Text opt-in status
   

DUES:
Changes to Cash Payer Units in January 2026!
As discussed on the last S-T Townhall call, we will be consolidating the individual cash payer units into multi-local units beginning in December. Nothing is changing with the overall cash payer process. We are streamlining the process at HQ and making it easier to see your cash payer categories at a glance.

There will be three categories of units, also separated by sector:

• Active Officers
• Retirees (not officers)
• Others (actively working, no payroll deduction)

If you haven't already, please get back to your dues specialist on where your cash payers belong ASAP. Anyone uncategorized will be put in the "others" bucket. More details will be provided as we start rolling this out!

Changes to Per Capita Dues
Dues Resolution at 80th Convention: Delegates approved a resolution requiring CWA International to collect Per Capita membership dues on an “actual” basis rather than an “anticipated” basis for members who are out on leave. According to the CWA Constitution, Article VI, Section 2, locals are required to pay Per Capita dues, which are the portion of the member’s dues that is paid to the CWA International. This includes the fifty cents per member to the Defense Fund or the quarter hour to the Members’ Relief fund. All members are required to pay dues. Local membership committees can determine when dues are not required for members; however, per capita dues to the CWA International Union are required, with the exception of those on military leave from their employer or where units are on strike.

How will this resolution affect the Locals: Before the resolution was passed, in instances where the employer collected dues and sent them to the International Union for “top-down” dues processing, this was the process:

• Dues were posted to the member record
• Members’ Relief Fund monies deducted, if applicable
• International Union portion of Per Capita dues were deducted
• Where there was no option to strike, the Defense Fund per paying member deducted
• The remaining amount was sent to Locals in a settlement.

Under the new Resolution, the CWA International will no longer deduct the Per Capita, Defense Fund, and Members’ Relief Fund monies for any member who is on leave or has no dues collected. Instead, the remaining amount for those paying dues will be sent to Locals via settlement. The CWA International will now invoice Locals at the time of processing for the Per Capita, Defense Fund, or Member’s Relief Fund, for those in the unit not paying dues. Any unpaid invoices will be considered delinquent, according to Article XII, Section 2 (e), after 30 days from when it is due. Additionally, Article VI, Section 5, states that members in default of paying dues without “good cause” for 60 days from when it is due shall be suspended from membership.

Transition: We have been working with Aptify to change programming to align with the resolution. This may take up to six months, so our dues department will make these changes manually and begin issuing local adjustment refunds for the Per Capita, Defense Fund, and Members Relief Fund in late January to early February 2026. These refunds will be retroactive to the dues month following the passage of the resolution at the convention. CWA International will then invoice Locals to collect the owed Per Capita, Defense Fund, and Members Relief Fund monies. Special Townhall Call: At the beginning of the year, the S-T Office will host a special townhall call to discuss the new Per Capita process and invoice billing.

Holiday Staffing
Just a reminder that some Membership staff will be enjoying holiday time off in December. Processing may not be as robust as locals have come to expect. Our processing priority for this month will be as follows:

Large top-down electronic units (ATT, VZN, GE, NBC, etc.)
Bottom-up units
Smaller electronic units
Manual units

December Settlement Dates:
Monday, Dec 15th
Tuesday, Dec 23rd

As the second settlement is only about a week after the first, it will be smaller than usual! The next settlement after that will not be until January 15th.

If you think you may need funds between Christmas and New Year’s, please email duesquestions@cwa-union.org to request an advance before Dec 23, 2025!

FINANCE:
Reimbursement Deadline
Please remember that all reimbursements need to be submitted and processed within 90 days of the event.

MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS:
Keep Local, Officer, and PAF Contributor Contact Information Up-to-DateAptify is CWA’s primary source of contact information for locals, officers, and Political Action Fund (PAF) contributors. We often send out important updates to these groups via email or text message. In addition, we use information from Aptify for our online local directory. Your help in keeping this information current helps ensure our communications are timely, accurate, and effective.

• Instructions on updating local officer information in Aptify are available here.
• When you receive PAF cards, please make sure to update the email address, phone numbers, and text opt-in status for the contributor.
• Check out your local’s information here https://cwa-union.org/members/find-your-local. If your information is incorrect, update it in Aptify, and it will periodically sync with the online directory. For detailed instructions on how to update your local’s contact information, please review the Update Local Contact Information Guide.

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

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.

Aptify & Dues Process | 3 hours
New to Aptify? This comprehensive session will teach you the ropes and guide you through the dues process
with confidence.

January 16, 2026 - 12 pm ET
January 30, 2026 - 12 pm ET
March 13, 2026 - 12 pm ET
May 15, 2026 - 12 pm ET
July 10, 2026 - 12 pm ET
September 18, 2026 - 12 pm ET
November 6, 2026 - 12 pm ET

Bottom-Up Dues Process Refresher | 1.5 hours
For those who already know Aptify—this refresher is designed for users familiar with our bottom-up dues
structure. Get a solid review to keep things running smoothly!

January 23, 2026 - 12 pm ET
February 27, 2026 - 12 pm ET
April 10, 2026 - 12 pm ET
July 17, 2026 - 12 pm ET
October 23, 2026 - 2 pm ET

New! Grievance Management Module | 2 hours
Discover our latest addition: the Aptify Grievance Management Module! This new tool will simplify the
grievance process, from filing to resolution. With easy, web-based access, you can handle collective bargaining
agreements, deadlines, and documents all in one place. Perfect for local, district, and sector users!

LOCALS (Stewards/Local Rep/Local Officers) - Grievance Management module training sessions
February 6, 2026 - 12 pm ET
April 3, 2026 - 12 pm ET
June 5, 2026 - 12 pm ET
August 7, 2026 - 12 pm ET
October 16, 2026 - 12 pm ET

DISTRICT/SECTORS Reps - Grievance Management module training sessions
February 20, 2026 - 12 pm ET
April 17, 2026 - 12 pm ET
June 26, 2026 - 12 pm ET
August 21, 2026 - 12 pm ET
October 20, 2026 - 12 pm ET

Microsoft Excel Tips for Aptify Data | 1.5 hours
Want to get the most out of your Aptify data? Join us for an Excel crash course! You’ll learn the best tips and
tricks for navigating and optimizing your data like a pro.

February 13, 2026 - 12 pm ET
May 8, 2026 - 12 pm ET
August 28, 2026 - 12 pm ET
November 20, 2026 - 12 pm ET

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.

Disaster Relief Fund Deadlines:
There are currently 30 FEMA Declared Disasters across the US that are still eligible for members to submit     
assistance applications. Members have 6 months from the date of declaration to submit their application to their 
local. This is a lot of time, and some just forget about this benefit. Please review the timeline policy below and 
let members know they may still have time to submit.

Members and their locals have six (6) months from the date of the disaster declaration to file the Disaster Relief Fund application with the District staff assigned to the Disaster Relief Fund. If a member receives correspondence from the District staff that the application is incomplete, the member and their local have 30 days from receipt to resubmit to the District; otherwise, the file will be closed. Applications must be received at CWA Headquarters no later than eight (8) months from the date of the FEMA declaration. Applications more than eight (8) months from the FEMA declaration will not be processed.

CWA DRF Application can be located here

.
FEMA Declarations Look-up can be located here.

Union Plus offers a Free Credit Counseling session and program options for members who would like to work with a professional to review and provide solutions to assist in their current or future financial situation. Learn more here.

Get Paid while Shopping Online with UnionPlus and BeFrugal
You will earn cash back QUICK while you spend online.

✔️Up to 40% cash back
✔️Shop over 5,000 MAJOR stores
✔️Guaranteed stackable coupons
✔️$15 Welcome Bonus* + fast payouts, any way you want | 
⬅️ Watch this video + start >HERE< and get 💵 for your online shopping!

The Secretary-Treasurer’s Office And Staff Wish You And Your Family 

A Happy Holiday and Safe New Year. 

We look forward to working with you in the New Year.

In Unity,

Ameenah Salaam
Secretary-Treasurer