CWA activists were out in force collecting and delivering postcards during last week’s PRO Act week of action. They also participated in phone banks to talk to voters in Virginia, Arizona, and Alaska about the bill.

The PRO Act will strengthen penalties against employers who retaliate against workers who speak out about low wages and unsafe conditions. It will make it easier for workers to join unions so that they can negotiate for fair wages, quality healthcare, health and safety protections, and paid leave.

To view a slideshow of events, click here.

PAL-CWA

CWA members who work in Lawrence, Kan., public schools are speaking out. After weeks of negotiations for a first contract, they say the most recent offer from the school board, which included a 2 cent per hour pay raise, was “a huge insult.” The bargaining team countered by proposing a $3 per hour pay raise to bring the minimum hourly wage for most members to $14.

In June, the board voted unanimously to recognize the Personnel Association of Lawrence–Communications Workers of America (PAL-CWA Local 6400) as the bargaining unit for hourly employees, including custodians, secretaries, electricians, and maintenance and food service workers.

As reported by Trish Masethin in the Lawrence Times, Chrystal Hunter, a member of the PAL-CWA bargaining team, said current wages are so low that some school employees rely on food stamps and other public assistance while administrators make six-figure salaries. “If COVID has taught us anything,” said Hunter, “it is that we are a community and that we need to help and uplift one another, especially those in the most need.”

PAL-CWA Local 6400 members are fighting for a fair first contract.

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New Mexico Public Workers

Almost 2,300 public sector workers across 13 state agencies reached a new collective bargaining agreement with the state of New Mexico, effective July 20. Members of CWA Local 7076 voted overwhelmingly in favor of the agreement. Local officers said they were pleased with the outcome for state employees and thanked Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for listening to workers and signing a much-needed update.

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NABET-CWA WDIV

Members of NABET-CWA Local 43 in Detroit, Mich., have ratified a 3-year contract extension agreement with WDIV-TV. The contract provides for a 3% wage increase immediately, with another 3% increase in 18 months. The agreement came a month after the previous contract expired at the end of June.

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The New York NewsGuild

Workers at The New Yorker, Pitchfork, and Ars Technica have unanimously ratified their first union contract with Condé Nast as members of The NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003). The contract includes raises of up to 76% for some members and a salary floor of $60,000 to be in place by 2023. They also won just cause and a ban on non-disclosure agreements.

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KPFA

After 6 months at the bargaining table, workers at KPFA-FM radio in Berkeley, Calif., have ratified a 3-year contract for members of CWA Local 9415. The contract includes pay raises of 9.3% over 16 months, a more powerful health and safety committee, and maintenance of current health, dental, and retirement benefits.

A report released last week by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) reveals the results of the Trump-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) for T-Mobile, Amazon, and other corporate giants. Passed in 2017 without a single Democratic vote in Congress, the TCJA’s provisions allowed 39 of the nation’s most profitable companies, including T-Mobile, to pay $0 in federal income tax from 2018 through 2020.

During that time, T-Mobile successfully pursued a job-killing merger with Sprint, reported $11.5 billion in profits, and received $80 million in tax refunds.

T-Mobile workers have been organizing to join CWA, but the company has taken aggressive action to deny employees their legal right to form a union. T-Mobile has been guilty of violating U.S. labor law multiple times and has been subject to dozens of unfair labor practice charges.

Current regulations allow companies like T-Mobile to deduct the costs of this union-busting activity, which often includes millions in payments to “union avoidance” consultants. Meanwhile, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act eliminated the union dues deduction for millions of workers.

During the upcoming budget reconciliation process, Democrats in Congress will try to end or limit a variety of corporate tax breaks, including the deduction for union busting costs, and impose a minimum tax on corporate profits.

If you’re having trouble making rent payments, you’re not alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for renters and landlords to cover housing costs.

Help is available through the federal government’s Emergency Rental Assistance program. The funds are being distributed by state and local organizations to their local communities. This money can help with rent, utility bills, and even moving costs.

Learn more about the program and use the rental assistance finder to search for a program in your community: www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/find-help-with-rent-and-utilities.