Communications Workers Of America Local 6508 AFL-CIO, CLC

CWA Newsletter: Omaha TV Techs Battle Hearst for a Fair Contract

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Friday, 23 July 2010 09:27
Omaha TV Techs Battle Hearst for a Fair Contract Boarman Nomination as Public Printer Cleared for Senate Action New Report Looks at Union-Building and Young Activists Omaha TV Techs Battle Hearst for a Fair Contract NABET-CWA members in Omaha use bus bench ads in the fight for a fair contract at KETV Channel 7. NABET-CWA technicians at Omaha's KETV Channel 7 are fighting for a fair contract that prevents the Hearst-owned station from unilaterally turning full-time jobs into part-time work. Three years ago, when the last contract was negotiated, the bargaining unit had 17 full-time and five part-time technicians. Since then, six full-timers have lost their jobs and the number of part-timers has more than doubled. Management is attacking job security provisions negotiated in the last contract and wants to limit NABET-CWA's jurisdiction over existing work. The KETV workers, who just merged their Omaha local with Local 54041 in Chicago, are wearing red shirts to show solidarity. A website, www.7canthelp.tv, and bus bench ads are making sure that the public gets the message. The unit bargained this week with a federal mediator and more sessions are schedule in late August. Boarman Nomination as Public Printer Cleared for Senate Action The nomination of William Boarman, president of CWA's Printing, Publishing & Media Workers Sector, to become the nation's next Public Printer was approved by the Senate Rules Committee and sent to the full Senate. Upon confirmation by the Senate, Boarman would serve as the chief executive officer of the Government Printing Office, which publishes thousands of documents every year for the federal government. Boarman was nominated by President Obama in April but his nomination has been slowed because of the Senate's broken procedures. Filibusters by Republican leaders and secret holds by anonymous senators attached to nominees at every level have virtually brought the process to a halt. Usually, all but the highest level of presidential nominees have been confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate, but unanimous consent is nearly impossible in this Congress and an objection by a single senator requires a cloture vote to cut off debate. CWA President Larry Cohen said CWA's legislative staff worked hard to get the nomination cleared by the Senate Rules committee. "We celebrate not only the vote for Bill, but our growing legislative and political clout and work," he said. Write comment (0 Comments)
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Take the CWA Heat Stress Survey

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Friday, 25 June 2010 04:03
In your work with telecommunications technicians and other members who perform work outdoors and/or in industrial settings, please encourage Local stewards, occupational safety and health activists, and other members to access and read the CWA heat stress fact sheet as well as go to and complete the on-line heat stress survey. Data gathered from the survey will be analyzed and translated into a report for use in CWA's collective bargaining, safety and health, education, and mobilizing activities. Heat Stress is an occupational safety and health problem for thousands of CWA members who perform their work outdoors as well as in residential attics and industrial settings. In order to increase leader and member awareness and action, as well as ensure represented employers are providing affected workers with safe and healthful working conditions, the Union has developed the "CWA Heat Stress campaign" supported by the Telecommunications Strategic Industry Fund. This effort seeks to create safer working conditions through the education of our members, as we have had several deaths related to heat stress. As part of this program we will distribute a background education piece and a survey on industry practices and member issues. Our new fact sheet and the on-line survey can be accessed on the CWA web page: Extreme Heat: What Outdoor Workers Must Know to Protect Their Health When Temperatures Soar 2010 CWA Heat Stress Survey As your Safety and Health Director, I will oversee the analysis of the completed surveys and translate them into a report. We hope that the report will be a useful tool to work with employers in improving safe and healthful working conditions as well as be the foundation for union education, training, and mobilization activities. Write comment (0 Comments)
Last Updated ( Friday, 25 June 2010 04:10 )

Check Out these New 'Ready for the Future' Proposals!

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Thursday, 27 May 2010 00:00
Check Out these New 'Ready for the Future' Proposals! Fighting Cruel Budget Cuts, 35,000 Turn Out for Massive NJ Rally Health Benefits Restored for 140 Windstream Retirees, CWA Keeps up Fight Union Election Certified at One Dish Network Unit in Texas Workers Join CWA in Record Time and at Record Pace Verizon West Members Overwhelmingly Approve New Contract NABET-CWA Warns Against Giant TV Broadcasting Alliances Campaign Demands Samsung Protect Korean Workers in Wake of Cancer Deaths CWA: Keep the Joint Strike Fighter Engine Program Check Out these New 'Ready for the Future' Proposals! As a result of feedback and comments from CWA locals and members, we have made some changes to the most recent Ready for the Future proposals that will be considered by delegates at the 2010 CWA Convention. The new proposals, approved by the Executive Board, are online at http://www.cwa-union.org/pages/future. Members are encouraged to check out the new proposals and voice comments and ideas by logging on at http://rff.cwaforum.com and entering this access code: CWARFF2010. Note that anonymous comments can't be accepted. Changes to the proposals include: Four year terms for national officers, instead of two-year terms. In comments and postings, many locals indicated that holding elections at every convention might not be an effective way to carry out other convention business. In non-convention years, appeals will be addressed at a Presidents meeting. Clarification of language regarding the Communications and Technologies and Telecom sectors merger, to make it clear that bargaining responsibilities remain the same. This is a language change only. This Ready for the Future effort is carrying out the 2005 CWA convention mandate to look at the "right sizing" of the CWA Executive Board by 2011 and to review the use of union resources to make sure our approach is effective and efficient. Any recommendations must be acted on by delegates at the 2010 convention to be implemented in 2011. The Ready for the Future plan already has been a big success. 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 fights and health care and bargaining rights. We have included local leader perspective through the at-large members on the Executive Board and built an active Stewards Army that has made a real difference. Write comment (0 Comments)
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CWAers, Five Other Unions in Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Red Cross

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Thursday, 03 June 2010 15:23

CWAers, Five Other Unions in Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Red Cross
CWAers Ratify AT&T Mobility Contract in D3
House Votes to Kill RMT and Keep Manufacturing Jobs at GE
CWA District 3 Reaches Tentative Agreement with AT&T for ND&CA Unit
Delta CEO Shows Which Side He's On
Mark Your Calendar for the Customer Service Professionals Conference
Long Fight for Medical Monitoring of 9/11 Workers Finally Moves to House
DOL Rule Tells Federal Contractors: Make Sure Workers Know Their Rights
CWA: Putting Massey on Notice

CWAers, Five Other Unions in Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Red Cross

Members of CWA Local 1122 in Buffalo are engaged in an unfair labor practice strike at the American Red Cross, citing the organization's record of labor law violations and its refusal to negotiate a fair contract.

CWAers are not standing alone. Members of AFSCME Local 3145 in Connecticut; Teamsters Local 580 and Office and Professional Employees Local 459 in Michigan; UFCW Local 75 in Ohio; SEIU 1199 in West Virginia, and SEIU 721 in Los Angeles also are participating in the strike action.

Local 1122 represents 160 Red Cross workers in Buffalo who have been working without a contract since May 2009. CWA has filed several unfair labor practices charges against the Red Cross over serious contract violations. The Red Cross drastically changed workers' health care coverage, eliminated retiree health care, eliminated the defined pension benefit for new hires and eliminated the company's match to the 401k plan, all without bargaining over the changes, which labor law requires.

The NLRB has issued complaints on all four charges and a trial will be held soon. The last contract offer by the Red Cross was overwhelmingly rejected by CWAers, in a 91 percent vote. In that offer, the Red Cross demanded that CWA drop all unfair labor practice charges against the company.

Separately, members of Local 13500 in northeastern Pennsylvania are continuing to bargain with the Red Cross; that contract was extended to June 8. Big issues are the company's demand for health care cost shifting and pay treatment for last minute changes in scheduling and weekend work assignments.

CWAers Ratify AT&T Mobility Contract in D3

CWAers from Local 3403 in Baton Rouge, LA, above, and Local 3122 in Miami, below, wear red and mobilize for a quality contract.

CWA members at AT&T Mobility in District 3 ratified a new four-year agreement by a 68 percent "yes" vote. The agreement covers about 11,200 workers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The settlement provides for a 10 percent wage increase over the contract term plus a $500 bonus on ratification. Three new job titles will provide upgrades for some 800 call center workers, and the wireless technician I title has been upgraded to wireless technician II.

Improvements for selection of vacation and other days off were negotiated for retail and call center workers; severance pay was increased, and the grievance procedure was expanded.

From Lafayette and Baton Rouge, La., to Ashland, Ky., and throughout the state of Florida, CWAers leafleted outside call centers and retail stores, held solidarity "stand-ups" at their desks, and made lots of mobilization videos that revved up members.

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 June 2010 15:28 )

NMB Brings 'Majority Vote' Rule to Airline Union Elections

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Thursday, 13 May 2010 16:09
NMB Brings 'Majority Vote' Rule to Airline Union Elections CWA Activists Ready to Build a Strong Political Movement In Germany, T-Mobile USA Workers Learn 'Respect' is the Difference On the Web: Learn More During Labor History Month CWA Photo Contest Open for Entries Through June Union Sportsmen's Alliance Promotes New Giveway NMB Brings 'Majority Vote' Rule to Airline Union Elections The National Mediation Board issued a new rule for union representation elections in the airline and railroad industries that finally adopts the majority determination rule that is the standard for elections in the United States. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and all of CWA made the fight for fairer elections for airline workers a top priority. "Our elected officials, from the President of the United States, to mayors and other representatives in our communities, attain office by winning majority support of the votes being cast," said AFA-CWA International President Pat Friend. "That's the way U.S. elections are conducted, and AFA-CWA commends the NMB for restoring the majority rule standard for airline workers." The previous rule gave management enormous opportunities to stack the deck, because workers who didn't vote were counted as no votes. Airlines also have resorted to intimidation and other tactics to suppress voter turnout by making workers fearful of voting. The NMB said that its rule change, first issued for public comment last November, was necessary "to provide a more reliable indicator of employee sentiment in representational issues." The wishes of those who take the time and trouble to cast ballots should not be superseded by those choosing not to participate, the NMB said. CWA Activists Ready to Build a Strong Political Movement About 110 CWAers met in Baltimore to gear up for the 2010 elections. Photo by Herb Keener, CWA 6215 Local union officers and activists who will lead CWA's electoral work in 2010 met for two days of training and brainstorming to get geared up for the elections. CWA President Larry Cohen outlined CWA's political agenda and stressed that "our work isn't about one party. We're not in the pocket of any party but we stand for working families, for CWAers, for our communities." Watch President Cohen's remarks here. Also meeting with the group was CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill, who told participants that the CWA triangle remains more important and more effective than ever. We must continue to build our legislative and political actions teams in order to offset the attack on collective bargaining, she said. Write comment (0 Comments)
Last Updated ( Thursday, 13 May 2010 16:14 )
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