CWA's union-wide campaign to improve our union's effectiveness, "Ready for the Future," is moving forward.
We started this dialogue at the 2005 Convention, with the convention mandating an 11-point Ready for the Future plan. Working together, we've accomplished a lot, including a hugely successful strategic industry fund (SIF) program that has financed bold campaigns, like Speed Matters, telecom, and health care and bargaining rights. We've expanded local leader perspective on the Executive Board and built an active Stewards Army that has made a real difference.
CWA's Executive Board met February 15-16, discussed next steps and adopted recommendations that continue the work begun at our 2005 convention and address the convention mandate of the Ready for the Future resolution regarding the "right-sizing" of the Board by 2011 and the effective use of resources. These recommendations need to be acted on at the 2010 convention in order to be implemented in 2011.
The recommendations are available here.
Nearly 16 million Americans are unemployed and millions more are worried about losing their jobs. In 2009, 30,000 CWA union jobs were lost, the highest number ever in a single year, and the labor movement lost 800,000 members in 2009. Across CWA and across every sector, we need to put our resources to work where they will be most effective. We don't have the option of doing nothing, and waiting for another day. We need to work strategically and effectively now to keep our union strong.