S-T Talk February 2026

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

2026 PRESIDENTS’ MEETING AND LEGISLATIVE/POLITICAL CONFERENCE:
Please be on the lookout for the official call, which will be sent on or about March 3, 2026, for the upcoming 2026 Presidents’ Meeting and Legislative/Political Conference.

QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS:
Please join us on February 24th, from 3 pm - 4 pm ET for the first S-T Townhall of 2026! Please click here to register to attend the Zoom meeting. At this Townhall, 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.

Mark your calendars for May 26th, August 25th, and November 24th, from 3 pm - 4 pm 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.

APTIFY SERIES: DID YOU KNOW?
Committees Feature:
Remember, you can use “Committees” in Aptify (located in the top menu bar when you log in, fourth option from the left) to track groups in your local. Stewards and Local Officers are set up by default. CWA HQ may use these for important communications, so please keep them up to date!

You can create any additional committees (ex. Membership, Mobilization, Health & Safety, Legislative Political Action Teams, Womens or CRE). Once members are added, you can keep track of their terms, send a group email, or make mail labels. Reach out to aptifysupport@cwa-union.org with any questions.

COPE-COMPLIANCE:
990 Reminder
All Locals, including Public Employee Locals, that have $25,000 or more in gross receipts must file an exempt organization information return Form 990 - Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. This return is due on the 15th day of the fifth month after the end of the fiscal year. The fiscal year for most CWA Locals ends on September 30th; therefore, the 990 would be due on February 15, 2026. The due date may be extended for three months, without showing cause, by filing Form 8868 before the due date. An additional three-month extension may be requested on Form 8868 if the organization shows reasonable cause why the return cannot be filed by the extended due date. If you have questions about this requirement, contact your nearest IRS office.

LM Reports Due
Locals with a Fiscal Year Ending date of December 31 (12/31), your LM filing with the Department of Labor is due electronically by March 30, 2026. The LMRDA does not authorize or grant any extension of time for filing these reports for any reason.

CWA Councils ― Labor-Management (LM) Reporting
CWA Councils (city, state, or regional Councils) are also subject to the reporting requirements of the LMRDA. The Councils should use the same monetary guidelines as previously outlined in determining which LM financial report form to use. (See Part V Section 4 of the U.O.P.M.)

Annual Financial Statement 
Article XIII, Section 9 of the CWA Constitution 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.

DUES:
2026 Charitable Invoices coming to your inbox or mailbox soon!
Your annual quotas for both the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation (EGPAF) and the Eduardo Diaz Union-To-Union International Solidarity Fund will be uploaded into Aptify at the beginning of March and can be found on the Open Invoices report with a description of “Charity”. (Any locals who already contribute via dues deduction will not be invoiced.)

You can pay these quotas like you would any other invoices. Please note these are optional, so they do NOT affect local delinquency, and they will NOT be picked up by the AutoPay process.

Thank you for your ongoing support of these crucial charities. If you would like to opt out of this program for the year, or to pay more than the amount shown on the invoices, please email duesquestion@cwa-union.org so that we can update Aptify.

Changes to Cash Payer Units Delayed
The convention change programming has delayed the implementation of this initiative. The units have been created and the people classified, but we need Aptify’s help to move the hundreds of members involved. When this has been completed, we can shut down the old cash payer units.

You can still send in your MLO-81 forms to duesquestions@cwa-union.org, but please get the latest version HERE.

We hope this project can be completed later this month or in early March. Processing from November 2025 through current, including any needed adjustments, will occur at that time.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

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 do not pay dues. 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 the Local’s portion of 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 check.

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 has no dues collected. Instead, the remaining amount for those paying dues will be sent to Locals via settlement check. 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) of the CWA Constitution, 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. Please click here to listen to our Special Townhall Call held on January 27, 2026, discussing the new Per Capita process and invoice billing.

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

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.

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.

   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!

   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.

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.

Feeling the Financial Crunch? Don’t Fall Behind.
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.

In Unity,

Ameenah Salaam
Secretary-Treasurer