University of Toledo

After months of negotiations, members of CWA Local 4319 ratified a new three-year agreement with the University of Toledo earlier this month. Despite challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of bargaining team members to layoffs, the workers stood strong through months of negotiations and won wage increases, the recognition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday, reimbursement for safety shoes and winter footwear, and classifications for additional positions.

Workers at the University of Toledo voting to ratify their new three-year contract.

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Daily Hampshire Gazette

Workers at the Daily Hampshire Gazette and members of the Pioneer Valley NewsGuild (TNG-CWA Local 31041) have launched a “work-to-rule” campaign, taking a stand against understaffing and outsourcing at the Northampton, Mass., publication. The workers have been bargaining for a first contract with Newspapers of New England, Inc. (NNE), which owns the paper and eight other dailies, weeklies, and digital publications, for almost two years. Read more here.

On Wednesday, CWAers and other activists from across the country rallied in front of the White House demanding that our elected officials put an end to the filibuster, and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Time after time, the filibuster, a relic of the Jim Crow era, has been used to block critical civil rights and voting rights legislation. Now, Senate Republicans are hiding behind it and allowing Republican-led state legislatures to enact racist, discriminatory anti-voting laws. Just yesterday, Senate Republicans filibustered the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the third time this year they have blocked debate on voting rights.

Several activists at the protest, including CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens, participated in civil disobedience by getting arrested to demonstrate how dire this issue is. A few weeks ago, delegates to the 78th CWA Convention voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution to end the filibuster and save our democracy. CWA will continue to make our voices heard and fight to ensure all Americans have access to their most fundamental right.

CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens and other CWAers at the protest in front of the White House demanding an end to the filibuster and the protection of voting rights for all.

Build Back Better

CWA activists have been visiting Congressional offices in person and making phone calls to build support for the Build Back Better Act. The Build Back Better Act will support working families and retirees by expanding Medicare to include hearing coverage, increasing the child tax credit, and limiting child care costs. It will ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes and stop rewarding them for shipping jobs overseas. The bill also includes parts of the PRO Act which would make it easier for workers to join unions to improve their wages and working conditions.

Last week, IUE-CWA activists from Locals 84775, 81495, 8138, 84901, and 83718 delivered hundreds of PRO Act postcards and Build Back Better Act petitions to Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.).

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Last Thursday, CWA activists participated in a special Halloween themed Build Back Better phone bank. Close to 40 Participants made approximately 12,400 calls to CWA members to patch through calls to targeted members of Congress. Marchelle Hopson from CWA Local 83701, won the contest for best Halloween costume.

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Last Friday, CWA members from Local 3808 delivered hundreds of petition signatures to Senator Marsha Blackburn's (R-Tenn.) office in Tennessee urging her to do the right thing and support the Build Back Better Act.

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On Tuesday, a delegation of CWA members visited Rep. Stephanie Murphy's (D-Fla.) Orlando office to drop off over 200 signed petitions asking for her support for the Build Back Better Act and met with her staff to discuss how crucial passing this legislation is to improve the lives of working people.