NEWSLETTER
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- CWA Tells AT&T: “Our Contract Rights Are Not for Sale”
- Texans Stand Up Against Right-Wing Power Grab
- IUE-CWA Members at FleetLogix Win First Contract
- CWA Retired Members Hold Town Hall
- Strikers and Flight Attendants Rally at AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stops
- Texas Flood Victims Receive Mental Health Support from CWA Members
- CWA Staffers Teach High Schoolers About Union Power
- And More…
CWA Tells AT&T: “Our Contract Rights Are Not for Sale”
CWAers are taking action to protect our union contracts and our jobs in AT&T’s proposed acquisition of Lumen’s mass-market fiber network and customer base.
CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister made our union’s demands clear in a letter to AT&T Vice President of Human Resources Jon Nelson: “CWA will not allow this transaction to proceed quietly. Our members, our customers, our communities, and our contract rights are not for sale. We will fight for accountability, and we demand AT&T engage in meaningful negotiation over the effects of this deal before it is finalized.”
CWA’s demands include:
- Successorship and AT&T Employment: All impacted employees must be hired as AT&T employees—not NetworkCO or any other subsidiary—and AT&T must honor and adopt all existing union contracts as the successor employer. AT&T should take all employees who have supported these customers for years, including network and customer service.
- Protect Our Hard-Earned Benefits: AT&T must commit to preserving pensions, retiree healthcare, seniority, and all bargained-for benefits without dilution or delay.
- Transparency and Negotiations: We expect full transparency throughout this process and immediate, ongoing negotiation dialogue with union leadership.
- CWA Neutrality for Future Work: We seek a written agreement for CWA Neutrality for future work.
AT&T plans to acquire Lumen’s residential fiber business across 11 states, which serves a million customers.
CWA Lumen members and retirees can stay informed by signing up for updates at cwa.org/lumenallin.
Texans Stand Up Against Right-Wing Power Grab
Last week, CWA members and retirees joined the fight against state Republican efforts to carve up neighborhoods in Texas by redrawing congressional maps so they can handpick their voters and silence opposition. These maps determine not just how voters are represented but also how funds for schools, hospitals, and other essential services will be allocated.
The Austin rally, held just hours before the first of several premature mid-decade redistricting hearings and hosted by the Texas AFL-CIO, brought together a broad coalition of progressive organizations, elected officials, and grassroots leaders committed to protecting fair representation for all Texans.
CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase delivered a message to members, writing, “While families in Central Texas are still reeling [from the historic floods], lawmakers are wasting time redrawing voting maps five years early and behind closed doors, rushing legislation that helps them cling to power and shuts regular Texans out of the voting process.
“Whether you’re Republican or Democrat, this should disturb us all. In America, we don’t reward cheaters! Especially if it’s at the expense of others.”
On July 30, new district maps were made available to the public. In response, CWA District 6 Campaign Lead Kristie Veit remarked, “The first draft of Texas’s new congressional maps announced today leaves no doubt—lawmakers in charge will use their seats to steal and siphon away power from districts representing workers and their families. CWA will stand our ground, our voices will be heard.”
In a statement, Congressman Greg Casar (Texas-35), whose district is under threat, wrote, “After signing a bill to kick 17 million Americans off their health care, Donald Trump announced he does not have a plan to win the midterm elections—instead, Trump has a plan to rig the midterm elections. Trump’s plan is to take over Texas’ elections and end protections of the Voting Rights Act for the entire country. Trump is trying to silence our communities, and we will fight back with everything we’ve got.”
CWA members and retirees met with Congressman Greg Casar (Texas-35) whose Austin district is currently under the gerrymandering knife, potentially disenfranchising voters.
IUE-CWA Members at FleetLogix Win First Contract
Members of IUE-CWA Local 81201 working at FleetLogix, Inc., a subcontractor for Avis Budget Group, ended June celebrating ratification of their first contract since forming their union in March 2024. This win comes after years of near-minimum wage pay, no paid holidays or vacation, and arbitrary management practices that left workers in limbo.
Of particular importance to the members was winning paid holidays, which was a critical driver behind the formation of their union and a sticking point over the 13 months of contract negotiations. Workers also made other gains, including a 16 percent raise, 2-3 personal paid days, and 1-3 weeks of paid vacation (both depending on seniority), and a seniority system to eliminate favoritism in shift assignments, vacation scheduling, and overtime distribution.
“To all of our CWA brothers and sisters, with this contract we now have rights. We now work and get what we deserve: holiday pay, vacation pay, paid personal days, paid bereavement, and most of all, better and fair wages. It was a result of everyone here believing this could be a better place to work and believing in us to make that happen by standing together,” said IUE-CWA Local 81201 Bargaining Committee member Linda Marino.
This win came after the company blew up negotiations over inconsequential issues and walked away from the bargaining table. FleetLogix members quickly mobilized, filed ULP charges, and voted 98 percent to authorize a strike, which quickly got the company back to the table. In another wrinkle, the company cancelled one of the final bargaining sessions. The Bargaining Committee mobilized members to march on the boss during their lunch breaks the very next day to demand a fair settlement of the contract. The company, fearing a potential strike, immediately began finalizing the tentative agreement after months of stall tactics.
“Hell of a job to every member who stepped up and stood together to win this! We went from nothing—no raises, no holidays, no vacation, no rights—to SOMETHING MAJOR!” said IUE-CWA Local 81201 Bargaining Committee member Brian Greene.
FleetLogix workers, members of IUE-CWA Local 81201, rallied for living wages, paid holidays, and a strong contract on July 4, 2024.
CWA Retired Members Hold Town Hall
Earlier this week, hundreds of retired CWA members gathered for a virtual town hall. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. praised the retirees for their work building our union and encouraged them to stay involved. He also pledged to continue fighting for them. “It’s sad, but too often the companies that profited from your work look to retiree benefits first when Wall Street orders them to cut costs to boost their bottom line,” President Cummings said. “When I say we need to fight for everything this great union stands for, this is what I mean: we have to fight to protect each other. No one else is going to do that. We have to move forward from a place of love, not fear. We must stand up for prosperity, justice, and security for all, not just the very rich.”
CWA Retired Members Council (RMC) President Gwen Parker described the work that RMC chapters do to keep retired members informed. She noted that the fee to become a lifetime member of the RMC is just $25 and that retirees can join online at https://cwa.org/rmc. A list of RMC chapters and contact information is also available on the website.
CWA Legislative-Political Director Dan Mauer gave a presentation on the Social Security Fairness Act that then-President Joe Biden signed last December, which eliminated unfair provisions that lowered the Social Security benefits for some public sector workers. He advised retirees who qualify for the increased benefits but aren’t yet receiving them to contact the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov/myaccount or 1-800-772-1213. You can learn more about the Social Security Fairness Act here.
Mauer also explained how cuts to Medicaid and changes to Medicare in President Trump’s budget reconciliation bill will impact CWA retirees, particularly through higher prescription drug prices and the closing of rural hospitals and nursing homes. He also noted that while many people think the bill eliminates taxes on Social Security benefits, what it actually does is establish a deduction. He cautioned retired members that they will still need to file a tax return and to make sure to plan properly because the deduction has significant limitations and they may end up owing more than they expected. These limitations include:
- Only available to those 65 and older
- Not refundable
- Begins phasing out for individuals making over $75,000 or couples filing jointly making over $150,000
- Expires after 2028
He shared two other pieces of advice. First, retired members who are getting their benefits by paper check should enroll in direct deposit as soon as possible because the Social Security Administration plans to stop issuing checks at the end of September. Second, some adjustments, like changing your direct deposit, can no longer be handled over the phone—they must be done online or in person. Retired members should allow plenty of time for resolving Social Security issues because there have been complications in the new procedures and thousands of staff have been laid off. Slides from Mauer’s presentation are available here.
Finally, CWA General Counsel Matt Holder addressed the status of pension-related litigation against AT&T and Verizon for moving to third-party vendors, putting pensions at risk. The litigation continues to move through the courts.
If you missed the town hall, you can view it at youtu.be/Fq7FYzp443E.
Strikers and Flight Attendants Rally at AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stops
Last week the AFL-CIO Bus Tour, “It’s Better in a Union,” continued its trek across the country, and CWA members were there to meet it along the way.
In Pittsburgh, Pa., Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers (Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh-CWA Local 38061) are currently on the longest active strike in the country, with over 1,000 days holding the line. NewsGuild member John Santa spoke at the rally, thanking those in attendance for their ongoing support and reaffirming the strikers’ commitment to “fighting until we win.”
Just three days later, the AFL-CIO tour bus pulled into Atlanta, Ga., home of Delta Air Lines. Flight Attendants organizing with AFA-CWA and ramp agents fighting for a union spoke out against management’s union-busting and for improved work rules at the country’s most profitable airline. They also spoke with AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler about the ongoing campaign to build their union.
Delta Air Lines Flight Attendants organizing with AFA-CWA and ramp workers rallied with AFL-CIO union members in Atlanta, Ga., calling for fair wages and their own union.
Texas Flood Victims Receive Mental Health Support from CWA Members
Members of United Workers of Integral Care (UWIC-CWA Local 6154), including (pictured, left to right) Candace Kosted, Asia Ashley, and Anna Ruth Lewis, turned out earlier this month in support of Texas flood victims. Integral Care is a mental health and counseling provider that supports adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Members volunteered to provide in-person crisis assessments, emotional support, and instruction on how to access resources.
CWA Staffers Teach High Schoolers About Union Power
CWA volunteers, in collaboration with the Northeast Ohio (NEO) Worker Center, the DePaul Labor Center, and other union and community allies, have partnered to deliver union-focused negotiation training to high schoolers across the state. Students participate in a day-long session where, according to the NEO Worker Center website, they “explore labor conflicts, practice critical thinking, and discover their power to shape the future of work.”
Now in its second year, the program builds off the successful development and deployment of the DePaul Labor Center bargaining exercise curriculum used around the country. With approximately 30 students per class, the program seeks to impact between 120 and 150 students per year. Students are eligible to return to the class to learn more and further hone their skills.
Click here to learn more about the program from the students taking part.
Staffers from CWA District 4, including CWA Staff Representative Ron Gay, Jr. (left, in CWA shirt). CWA District 4 Campaign Lead Renee Rouser (right and behind Gay), and CWA District 4 Staff Representative Diane Bailey (center), joined other union members and supporters to help educate high school students in Ohio on union membership and negotiation strategies.
And More…
Houston workers at popular immersive art exhibit unionize
New AFL-CIO Report: Nation’s Top CEOs Made 285 Times Workers’ Pay in 2024
Trump’s Department of Labor Continues Its Onslaught against Workers
Can a New Labor Institute Advance Black Workers’ Rights in the South?
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet works great if hardly anyone uses it
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