Last week, representatives of member organizations within the AFL-CIO gathered in Austin, Texas, to advance Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of collective action, reinforce the longstanding bond between the labor and civil rights movements, and channel their strength and energy into substantive action to build worker power. Representing CWA were CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.; CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton; IUE-CWA Industrial Division President Carl Kennebrew; Director of Human Rights, Education, and Health and Safety Angie Wells; CWA National Women’s Committee Chairperson Yolanda Pearson; CWA National Committee on Civil Rights and Equity Chairperson Reginald Small; the CWA National Human Rights Committee; and many other CWA members and retirees. AFA-CWA Local 29011 member Stan Kino received the AFL-CIO Drum Major for Justice Award in recognition of his lifetime of civil and labor rights advocacy for LGBTQ+ workers.

President Cummings spoke about the importance of labor solidarity, the convergence of the labor and civil rights movements, and the duty of union members to continue the fight for both economic prosperity and social justice. “In our unions we do, in fact, have many voices,” President Cummings remarked. “We work in different industries and have different job titles. We live in rural areas, in suburbs, and in cities. We are of different races and genders, and, yes, we hold different political views. But we all come together when working-class lives are at stake.”

Click here to watch a video of President Cummings’ speech.

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. spoke to the crowd with members of the CWA Human Rights Committee lined in front.

Under the leadership of Director Angie Wells, the Human Rights Committee met prior to the event to discuss goals and strategies for the coming year. The committee then provided expert support at the event, creating a truly memorable conference. Workshops included “Targeting Federal Workers: Why All Communities Are at Risk,” “Frontline Solidarity: Immigration and the Labor Movement,” and “Building Power for Justice: Resisting Threats to Discrimination and Harassment Protections in a Changing Political Landscape.” Attendees also had the opportunity to sit in on several panel discussions, a community phone banking action, and an awards gala.

CWA Local 7050 Executive Vice President and member of the National Women’s Committee Tayqwoiseceyon Akins represented CWA during a panel discussion entitled, “Sharing Your Union Story.”

At the AFL-CIO Civil and Human Rights Award Gala, AFA-CWA member and executive board member of Pride at Work Stan Kino received the AFL-CIO Drum Major for Justice Award in recognition of his lifetime of civil and labor rights advocacy for LGBTQ+ workers.

District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis (center) joined CWA Local 2252 President Merrick Cosey (left) and Local 2252 members to demand a fair contract at ASHN.

On Monday, physical and occupational therapists represented by CWA Local 2252 waged a one-day strike to protest bad-faith bargaining by their employer, Alternate Solutions Health Network (ASHN). The members’ previous union contract expired in September, and a contract extension expired on January 2 without a successor agreement in place.

Forty union members, including CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis, met to picket ASHN headquarters in Northern Virginia in a show of solidarity.

CWA Local 2252 members employed by ASHN are skilled clinicians who provide home-based physical, occupational, and speech therapy services to patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital. The home health therapists provide a critical service, working to restore function to their patients’ quality of life and promote safety for homebound clients.

“By not bargaining in good faith throughout the negotiations, ASHN has not shown us respect for our unwavering commitment to patient care,” said Shawn Thompkins, ASHN licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and member of the CWA bargaining team. “Our workers feel that action must be taken to protest against the unfair treatment.”

Last week, members of United Academics of Philadelphia-CWA (UAP-CWA) ratified their first contract. The unit is represented by NewsGuild-CWA Local 38010. The members are organizers for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608, some of whom travel extensively for work, which takes a toll.

The AFT voluntarily recognized the union in July 2023 and engaged in good faith bargaining to reach a contract agreement. The contract includes a $2500 ratification bonus, a remote work stipend, 20 weeks of paid parental leave, and a stipend for continuing education.

Workers hope this contract will serve as an example of the type of contract language that all union organizers deserve.

“This contract has phenomenal provisions for our members, including those 20 weeks of parental leave and 100%-covered health insurance. I would expect nothing less from a union employer that I’m pleased to see practices what it preaches,” said Diane Mastrull, president of The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia. “Now our members have the peace of mind and security to go out and organize so that more people can realize the benefits of being part of a union.”

At the start of January, members of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) visited members of the 119th Congress to begin building relationships with newly-elected officials and to educate their representatives on issues facing Flight Attendants. The delegation included members working for Endeavor Air, Alaska, and United Airlines.

Foremost among their concerns was contract negotiations. Members asked the elected officials to help protect worker rights under the law. Also of concern were turbulence-related injuries, passenger threats to workers, and passenger safety, including disrupting human trafficking wherever possible.

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and AFA-CWA considers its members to be “uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims.” AFA-CWA members wore blue on January 11 to encourage greater public awareness about the issue.

Per a statement from AFA-CWA, “Human trafficking is a billion-dollar business, but Flight Attendants can be 100,000 Eyes in the Skies to recognize and report it. We can be the ones to make the difference.”

Learn how to recognize and report human trafficking at www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/general-public-indicators-training-course.

In response to our call for stories of charitable giving and community outreach, CWAers sent in so many stories we’ve decided to continue to share the good news. You can read our original story here. If you have a story you’d like to share, please share it here.

CWA Local 1168

Members of CWA Local 1168, in collaboration with the Seneca Babcock Community Center, continued their holiday tradition of providing Christmas presents to needy children. Families apply for aid during the holidays to ensure that children receive presents and some sense of normalcy while experiencing hardships that may include a parent’s job loss, loss of housing, or other calamities. In 2024, members of CWA Local 1168, joined by union siblings from Locals 1122, 1133, and 1186, provided Christmas gifts and cheer to 58 children in need. Members collected funds, shopped for gifts, and provided an entire Christmas experience.

CWA Locals 13000 and 13500

Members of CWA Locals 13000 and 13500, in coordination with the Alleghany-Fayette Central Labor Council, once again demonstrated their commitment to their communities by participating in the annual Labor of Love Toy Drive. This annual event aims to bring holiday cheer to children and families in need, ensuring that every child has the joy of opening a gift during the holiday season. Members worked together to collect and donate toys.

The dedication of these CWA locals highlights the importance of union solidarity and the positive contributions unions make to the broader community. It is a reminder that, beyond advocating for workers’ rights, unions are also key players in strengthening and uplifting the communities where their members live and work.

The Athletic

Last week, workers at The Athletic sent a letter to New York Times Publisher AG Sulzberger and CEO Meredith Kopit Levien, requesting that they recognize the workers as part of the Times Guild (TNG-CWA Local 31003).

The Times acquired The Athletic, an online sports news outlet, in 2022. Despite management’s assertions that The Athletic’s operations would be separate, they have been integrated into the Times’ newsroom. Since 2023, Times staffers assigned to the Athletic have covered sports news for the organization.

The Times Guild, which represents nearly 1,500 workers in the newsroom as well as business and support staff, also sent a statement to Times management expressing their full support for their coworkers at The Athletic, writing, “We urge the company to recognize what has been true since the company began publishing The Athletic’s work under the banner of The New York Times: We are one newsroom, and our colleagues at The Athletic are Times Guild members.”

Click here to read more about worker organizing at The Athletic.

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