Daily Hampshire Gazette

Workers at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, members of Pioneer Valley NewsGuild (TNG-CWA Local 31041), ended 2021 by ratifying their first contract, securing important victories after more than two years of negotiating with the Gazette’s owners, Newspapers of New England. The contract includes protections against outsourcing for employees in all departments, pay raises in each year of the two-year deal, paid breaks, the designation of Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday, and a generous severance package if layoffs occur. The vote was unanimous amongst the members who took part in balloting over the long Christmas weekend.

CWAers in New York Secure a Major Legislative Victory

Thanks to CWA members and community allies, the New York Fiber Acceleration Bill was passed into law and signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. CWAers in New York made phone calls and held over 160 meetings with legislators last year to secure the bill’s passage.

Far too many consumers are denied a competitive choice of broadband providers because building and property owners block broadband providers from gaining access to deliver broadband services. In New York City alone, there are over 160,000 properties that Verizon workers cannot access. The New York Fiber Acceleration Bill gives internet service providers the right to access any building where there is or was telephone service for the purpose of upgrading the copper to fiber in order to provide New York residents with access to the most advanced broadband services.

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Share Your Story: Why Does Infrastructure Matter to You?

The recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) includes around $550 billion in new federal investment that will grow the economy, create good jobs, and make our economy more sustainable, resilient, and just.

Thanks to the leadership and the activism of CWAers, the legislation includes $65 billion to expand our nation’s broadband networks and help states across the country bring their telecommunications infrastructure into the 21st century, creating new jobs in the process. CWA members are eager to begin this buildout and to support the deployment. We are also working with state legislators and regulators to make sure that the funds are distributed to projects that deliver the speed and reliability that customers need and that the companies receiving the funds are held to high standards.

The White House has recently launched a new platform for workers and community members to share their stories about how the IIJA will impact them and their communities. CWA’s Broadband Brigade is encouraging all CWAers to participate by visiting this website and recording a video submission. While recording the video, remember to introduce yourself as a CWA member and don’t forget to wear your CWA red!

The last couple of years have been tough, but CWAers have accomplished a lot by sticking together to mobilize, organize, and build worker power. Check out these amazing videos highlighting our wins in 2021.

Here is to building more worker power in 2022!