Worker Power Update

CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens Participates in a White House Discussion on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Workers

Last week, CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens participated in a meeting with senior White House officials on the impact of artificial intelligence on workers. Steffens spoke about how artificial intelligence could affect numerous CWA workgroups, including by increasing stress, making it easier for companies to engage in union busting, and creating the risk of job loss. She described some of the ways that CWA is fighting at the bargaining table to mitigate these harms, and emphasized that one of the most important things needed to make artificial intelligence work correctly is for workers to have a voice in how it is implemented.

Steffens’ meeting follows a similar event last month with workers including AT&T CWA Local 3519 Vice President and AT&T Mobility Sales and Service Representative Ylonda Sherrod.

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CWAers in North Carolina Building Broadband Better

Through our Build Broadband Better campaign, CWA activists in North Carolina have been actively advocating for increased access to high-speed internet service using broadband providers with high labor standards. In May, Keith Busby, CWA District 3 Broadband Lead, participated on a panel hosted by the North Carolina Department of Information Technology about broadband and workforce development. Busby shared pertinent information about CWA’s campaign to ensure that states use federal taxpayer funds to expand broadband access while creating good, union jobs and prioritizing projects that use future-proof fiber technology.

In addition, last week CWAers in North Carolina organized a labor roundtable with Congressman Wiley Nickel. CWA Local 3611 hosted the meeting at their local hall in Raleigh. Thirty members from CWA, other unions, and the North Carolina Democratic Party Labor Caucus attended the roundtable that focused on infrastructure, including broadband expansion.

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IUE-CWA Members Build Political Power

IUE-CWA Local 81455 members at Trane in New Jersey participated in their first political action training and Political Action Fund (PAF) drive last week. They met members at the gates outside their shop and talked about upcoming elections. They expressed the importance of workers’ engagement in the political process and highlighted union members who are running for office. Within the first four hours they had signed up 135 members for the PAF. They also assisted several members in completing their voter registration cards. "The members are happy to see their union out here and want to know what we are doing. People want to get involved, they just haven't been asked," said IUE-CWA Local 81455 President Matt Young.

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Building Broadband Better in Kentucky

Last week, CWA-Kentucky Legislative and Political Coordinator Jason "JD" DeValdivielso participated in a panel hosted by Governor Andy Beshear about the impact of the record investment in high-speed internet. The panel included U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (above left), a host of other local and national government leaders, and representatives from the private and nonprofit sectors. When asked about what the historic federal investment means for good jobs in Kentucky, JD took the opportunity to highlight CWA’s campaign to ensure the use of broadband providers with high labor standards and the importance of utilizing the funds to create good, family supporting jobs for Kentuckians.

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CWA Airport Workers Rally for Good Jobs

Last week, CWA airport workers, members of other unions, including the Service Employees International Union, and supporters held a demonstration outside the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to raise concerns about working conditions and the lack of good jobs for airport service workers. The participants of the rally also called on Congress to pass the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act. The bill is the first legislative proposal of its kind that will set national wage and benefit standards for essential airport and airline workers. The demonstration was part of a series of actions led by airport workers throughout the month of June across the country. Watch the news coverage from Dallas here.