Monthly Archives: August 2010

The Brotherhood of Bears

Posted on by

Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA)

Tom Munnelly, Assistant to the President of Communication Workers of America Local 1101 in N.Y., is either one heck of a lucky black bear hunter or a darn good one. I suspect he’s both. During his last five black bear hunts in Wyoming, he scored five times, and four of his bears made the record book. Two of them won awards in the annual Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association Contest. Read full story here

Labor Day Tribute to the American Worker

As part of a new partnership with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA),  Sportsman Channel will dedicate Labor Day Weekend as a tribute to the American worker with a continual run of public service announcements (PSAs) featuring AFL-CIO President and USA Chairman Richard Trumka.

The PSAs will salute the American workers who made possible the eight hour work day, five day work week and recognize the importance of the great outdoors to unions and their members.  President Trumka will also announce the new partnership between the USA and Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American Sportsman and InterMedia Outdoors, the largest outdoor media group in America, as the three outdoor industry powers join forces to advance conservation and access issues vital to all sportsmen and women.

“Millions of union members hunt, fish and shoot, and they make up a large portion of the audience InterMedia Outdoors targets through its extensive network of television, magazines, radio and websites,” said Trumka.  “We are excited about this partnership between InterMedia Outdoors, Sportsman Channel and the USA as it will enable us to make a stronger connection with our members and better demonstrate labor’s commitment to conservation and our outdoor heritage.”

Click HERE to watch the PSAs that will air on Sportsman Channel.

USA to Launch new TV Series, Brotherhood Outdoors, on Sportsman Channel
Sportsman Channel will become the exclusive home to USA’s Brotherhood Outdoors TV series beginning in July 2011.  The show celebrates union sportsmen from around the country who work hard building America and are passionate about hunting, fishing and preserving our outdoor heritage for this generation and beyond. Hosted by Tom Ackerman, Brotherhood Outdoors is a “give or take” series where union members either join Tom for an outfitted hunting or fishing trip in North America or invite Tom to participate in their local outdoor pursuit.

Local 1298 Reaches Tentative Agreement for AT&T Workers

Posted on by

Members of Local 1298 in Connecticut rallied, marched and stayed strong during 18 months of AT&T bargaining that finally led to a tentative contract this week.

CWA members’ solidarity during 18 long months of bargaining paid off Wednesday night in Connecticut when Local 1298 reached a tentative agreement with AT&T that includes job protection language the company had refused to include earlier.

“We hung tough, the membership hung tough, we had the support of national, and AT&T knew it and finally realized that ‘we’re not going to get these guys to move,'” Local 1298 President Bill Henderson said.

The two tentative contracts, one for nearly 3,400 core employees and the other for 176 yellow page workers, are the last in the round of bargaining that CWA and AT&T began at tables nationwide in 2009. Ratification ballots will be sent to members on Monday and must be returned by Sept. 7.

Both of the 1298 agreements require AT&T to keep at least 84 percent of the represented jobs in Connecticut. “It’s not everything we wanted, but it’s big for us and we can build on it in the future,” Henderson said.

CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton praised the negotiating team. “The bargaining committee stayed focused and devoted themselves to getting a just contract for the members and I thank them, my assistant Dennis Trainor and Staff Representative Pat Telesco for their work and dedication,” he said.

CWAERS ‘Cooling Off’ And Joining Cope

Posted on by

Over the last three months, another 1,061 CWAers have signed up for COPE, or increased their contributions by at least $1 a week.

CWA’s political team has been working hard, providing information to members about COPE, their members of Congress and why it’s so important for CWAers to participate in the political and legislative process.

Local 3406's mobilization invited CWAers to cool off and learn about COPE.
Local 3406’s mobilization invited
CWAers to cool off and learn about COPE.

Eileen Winfrey, from CWA Local 3406 in Lafayette, La., encouraged CWAers to “Cool off with CWA and Cope” at a worksite mobilization. She handed out contact info for members of Congress and answered lots of questions. “This mobilization successfully planted the seed that will lead members to become active in this election, as well as COPE,” she said.

Local 1101 won 2 COPE awards at the Convention this year.

COPE contributions are the way CWA members show their support for elected officials and candidates that stand up for us. These voluntary contributions help keep our union and our union movement strong.

Every District and Sector that meets the minimum quota in giving will hold a drawing among those CWA members who have signed up or increased their COPE contributions, with a combined drawing for those that don’t reach the minimum. CWA will award up to eight top prizes of a trip for two to Las Vegas, including airfare and two nights’ hotel accommodation.

Any CWAer who becomes a new contributor or increases her or his weekly contributions by $1 will get a COPE t-shirt.

The contest runs until October and the winners will be announced on Election Day, Nov. 2.

2010 Verizon Wage Increase

Posted on by

During our 2008 contract bargaining, the Union negotiated annual raises for the duration of the three-year collective bargaining agreement of 3% in 2008, 3.5% in 2009, and 3.75% in 2010 with an opportunity for an additional Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

Verizon notified the System Council that because the difference in the National Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) between May 2009 and May 2010 did not exceed the already negotiated General Wage Increase (GWI) of 3.75%, there would be no additional COLA, per our 2008 Memorandum of Commitment on the issue.

The GWI became effective August 1, 2010, and will be reflected in the August 12th paychecks for eligible members. See the Job Aid below for details on how Short Term Disability or other situations may impact your eligiblity.

Click here to view the 2010 GWI Job Aid.

Verizon Plant 2010 Wage Schedule

Delegates Embrace ‘One Nation’ Movement, Oct. 2 March on Washington

Posted on by

CWA convention delegates pledged to join the growing “One Nation” movement and said they will do everything possible to make the October 2 march on Washington and other events a huge success.

One Nation, first proposed by the NAACP, has grown to include more than 170 labor, civil rights, environmental and progressive groups. “People of progressive and democratic values must reset the national political narrative and profoundly influence the national political climate. Americans need a wake-up call,” delegates said.

Locals and allies will be encouraged to participate in One Nation events, and delegates resolved to support “a core political agenda that encompasses the One Nation march theme: “Putting Americans Back to Work, Bringing America Back Together.”

AFL-CIO Council approves anti-filibuster drive, mass march Oct. 2

Frustrated with Senate Republican filibusters that stall nominations and block or kill legislation — notably the Employee Free Choice Act, the AFL-CIO Executive Council decided to educate members against the talkathons.

The fed’s statement, offered Aug. 5 by Communications Workers President Larry Cohen, chair of its legislative committee, was amended to be milder than his own union’s decision several weeks before to demand abolition of the filibuster as part of its political program this year.  But Cohen told PAI the language difference doesn’t matter.

“The bigger the tent, the better,” he said.  “People will work in a big coalition to change the Senate rules” that block even debate — much less votes — on key issues. That big coalition of 170 groups, including the AFL-CIO, CWA, AFT and many other unions, will mass on the Mall against filibusters and for progressive causes on Oct. 2, another council resolution said.

Read full story

Other resolutions adopted:

  • Building Sustainable Communities
  • Support for Constituency Groups

Building sustainable communities: Delegates also voted to continue CWA’s work with the Sierra Club and other organizations, to bring one gigabyte broadband service to anchor institutions in communities throughout the United States to build and sustain economic development in rural and lower-income urban communities. This partnership also will fight for good, green jobs and sustainable communities by working for comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation.

Support for constituency groups: CWA delegates acknowledged the important role that the AFL-CIO constituency groups have in building the labor movement among diverse communities. Delegates voted to encourage locals to get involved with the groups and encourage local and members to join. The groups are: the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Pride at Work.

Convention Honors Locals, CWA COPE Awards

Posted on by
The CWA-COPE awards recognize the outstanding COPE fundraising efforts of our locals and districts.

1101 Business Agent Marty Shannon, Secretary Jim Trainor, Exec. VP Angel Feliciano and Business Agent Bob Pyzeski

Two President’s Awards for CWA-Cope (above):

Two Districts stood out from the rest. Between them they raised over 1.9 million dollars or almost half of the total COPE contributions for 2009. The two Districts were District 1 and District 6.

District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton, won three local awards and three District awards.

Local Awards:

Once again Local 1101 did a wonderful job raising COPE funds and won two of the four local awards. They are as follows.

The local that had the most members signed up in CWA-COPE in 2009. Local 1101 have 2,840 members participating in the program.

The local with the most members contributing to CWA-COPE at $1-plus per week: was Local 1101 has 1666 members.

District 1 VP Chris Shelton and 1101 President Joe Connolly

CWA 1101 also won a COPE award from District 1 for the distinction of having the most Members in COPE (left).

Awards won by District 1:

District 1 raised the most CWA-COPE dollars, $1,003,535.27.

District 1 has the most members giving to COPE, 16,245.

District 1 has the most members contributing to CWA COPE at $1 or more per week with 11,397.