S-T Talk May 2024

S-T Talk

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

QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS:
By now, all CWA Local Secretary-Treasurer’s identified in Aptify should have received the form to register for the May 28, 2024, Zoom meeting. We will explore the budgeting process, paying lost time wages, and expense reimbursement. If you need guidance on these topics NOW click here for information in the U.O.P.M. If you have not registered, there is still time to register for this Zoom meeting. Simply email stoffice@cwa-union.org on or before May 20, 2024. Looking forward to seeing you soon, on Zoom.

THERE IS STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTS’ MEETING AND LEGISLATIVE/POLITICAL CONFERENCE - ROOM BLOCK CLOSES May 28, 2024!
You can now register online for the 2024 Presidents’ Meeting and the Legislative-Political Conference. Both will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, located at 400 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC. The room block is open for reservations at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The cutoff date is May 28, 2024.

The Presidents’ Meeting will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 24, 2024, and will continue until business is concluded. Online registration is open now!

The Legislative-Political Conference will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, and continue through Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Online registration is open through June 17, 2024.

We look forward to seeing you and your delegates at both of these important meetings in June. Don't forget to bring your CWA lanyard and help reduce landfill waste. For your convenience, we have put the links to register for the meetings, to reserve a room, and instructions on how to register all in one place. Click this link https://cwa-union.org/2024-cwa-presidents-meeting.

DUES
Looking to see who didn’t pay dues in a particular month? Want to track the processing of your pending member cards at the same time? Then take a look at the Unpaid Dues by Period report!

This report gives you a list of everyone in the unit who did not pay dues, regardless of their status.

There are three possible reasons:

1. Not Reported = Not on the file at all. If they are in an active status and this continues, they will automatically drop after the third month. Pending people stay active for an additional three months before automatically dropping.
2. Reported - No Payment = On the file with no dues, and this is expected (usu b/c they are On Leave).
3. Reported - No Payment - PC (Per Capita) Taken = On the file with no payment, but dues are expected. HQ takes PC (per capita) up front, but not when the makeup dues are eventually paid.

FYI - the last reason is only valid on units where there is a makeup dues clause in the contract (currently AT&T and Verizon).

Use this report on a regular basis and follow up with the employer to find out why your members aren’t paying dues. Your local’s bottom line will thank you!

Don’t forget that you can now request transfers and merge requests with our new online forms!

Click and bookmark the web links below:

Transfer Request Form

Merge Request Form

APTIFY
Time to audit your Agency Fee Payers! No need to search and then drill down - our new report makes changing statuses a snap.

1. Go to the Members section of the Reports menu and click on the Active Agency Fee Payers for Status Update
2. Enter the seven-digit PU (or leave blank to see all PU’s). Click Run.
3. Scroll down to the person’s name.
4. Click the Update Status link in the first column.

This button takes you directly to the employment history record where you can proceed as usual.

Remember, locals are the keepers of the membership cards, so the dues system has no way of knowing who has signed a card or not. New people in non-public units, in non-RTW states, or those covered under the Railway Labor Act will automatically be entered into the system as Agency Fee Payers unless there is a pending member record already in the system for them.

Use this report on a regular basis to keep your member data accurate - and make sure you get the counts you deserve at convention time!

CWA COPE/COMPLIANCE
New Report in Aptify
A new Aptify report called “Local 77777 (COPE Placeholder Local) Contributors” has been generated for contributors who were not associated with a local number and or processing unit. Please review the report to ensure contributors are listed in the correct local/PU. If discrepancies are found, please send a list of the correct local numbers and processing units to COPEQuestions@cwa-union.org.

Accountability
When creating new PAF cards into member records in Aptify, please ensure you enter all contact information and job title. This prevents COPE/Compliance from sending Best Efforts letters and emails directly to members.

If members do receive a Best Efforts letter or email from COPE/Compliance, please let them know they may enter their information via the Information Portal.

ICYMI: (In Case You Missed It)
Reminder: Free Training on Communications Tools and Social Media
The CWA Communications Department is now offering regularly scheduled free training for CWA local officers, members, and staff. Trainings include an overview of the digital tools that we offer, basics on how to use Action Network to send emails and text messages and set up online actions, social media tips and best practices, and graphic design training. You can click here for more information and to RSVP for training or access recordings of prior training sessions.

Protect Your Local's Email and Website Domain Name
Custom domain names for websites or email accounts are great for your local’s visibility, but they need to be renewed and are very difficult to recover if they expire.

Some CWA locals have lost access to their website or custom emails because only one person had a login for the domain registration and they left the Local.

We recommend that the email account associated with your Local's domain registration and website hosting be an email address that the S/T or other local staff have access to, and that at least one other officer or staff person has an administrative account with the domain registrar.

We also recommend that your Local's Secretary-Treasurer keep a secure record of the login information (username and password) and expiration date for your Local's domain name registrations and website hosting with other important, confidential information that is passed on when there is a change in the Local's elected leadership.

Contact CWA Website Support if you have any questions.

In Unity,

Ameenah Salaam
Secretary-Treasurer