United in the Fight

By CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.

What makes our union powerful is our willingness to show up and show out for one another. I was elected President of our great union with a promise to unite us and, by doing so, increase our reach. That process is already underway and the results are in: unity is strength.

Right after our convention in July, we began mobilizing folks from every district and sector to support CWA passenger service agents who were bargaining with American Airlines. Our national pickets in August and November jumpstarted bargaining. And in December passenger service workers at American won an historic contract! That doesn’t happen with a bunch of people all doing their own thing. It takes a single, unified team to go straight to the heart of the issue and turn our hopes and dreams into reality.

I promised that I would bring together top AT&T executives and our district leadership to discuss our common issues. This had never been done before. Another “big dream,” some people said. I’m proud to report we held that meeting and we’ve been working closely with AT&T to hold them to the commitments they made. But I couldn’t have done it without my team, including Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos, and the input and support of District Vice Presidents, staff and local leaders.  

This is just the beginning. I am working with our entire Executive Board to identify ways that we can work more closely together across districts and sectors to win strong contracts and grow our union. We have so much we can learn from each other if we focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

One example is in the area of Artificial Intelligence. AI is going to affect every one of us in ways we are only now starting to understand. Our Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence has representatives from all CWA sectors. They are developing tools for bargaining and advocacy related to AI and other digital technologies. Most significantly, they will establish a CWA-wide forum that will enable members and locals to share best practices and knowledge.

That’s the power of unity. That’s the power of our union.

And while we’re focused on enforcing our contracts, bargaining new agreements, and helping workers organize to join CWA, we cannot ignore the national election. In the coming months, I am counting on all of you to not only listen to the candidates’ words, but to look at their deeds. We must elect people who are committed to working with us to make sure that hard work is rewarded and that everyone has the support they need to build a better life. People who want to make it easier to join unions and negotiate collective bargaining agreements, which are the best tool we have to defend ourselves against those who pursue profit at any cost.

At the top of the ticket we have Joe Biden, who has kept his commitment to be the most pro-union president in history. No other sitting president has ever stood on the picket line with workers. But we’re not just focused on the Oval Office. CWA members and retirees have to be involved at the local and state level as well, from governors to school boards to dog catchers, every election should be about who has our best interests at heart. Our job, now more than ever, is to ensure that, at every level, our values are being reflected and our needs are being met.

This is going to be a year of rapid and unprecedented change. CWA will hold strong, will move as one, and we will continue to be champions for working people everywhere.

We are CWA and when we fight, we win.