News

  • Bargaining and Mobilization Update
    Frontier Communications CWA Local 1298 members voted overwhelmingly last week to authorize a strike at Frontier if necessary, sending a loud and clear message to the company that its workers are united and willing to do what it takes to reach a fair and equitable contract. The bargaining committee is meeting daily with Frontier to continue working towards an agreement. The current contract expires on October 14. — Oct 10
  • AT&T is Abandoning Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
    En Español Just weeks after billionaire CEO Paul Singer’s Elliott Management Corporation announced that it had acquired about 1% of AT&T and laid out plans to extract profits from the company by cutting jobs and selling off critical assets, AT&T announced its intention to sell off wireless and wireline operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Liberty Latin America, a company with a history of union-busting and job cuts. “AT&T workers in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have fought hard to keep good, family-supporting jobs in their communities,” said Richard Honeycutt, Vice President of Communications Workers of America District 3. “Thanks to workers’ dedication and solidarity during recent contract negotiations, AT&T guaranteed that customer calls would continue to be handled in Puerto Rico. Now, all of that is in jeopardy, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Elliott Management’s plan to sell off AT&T’s assets puts all of the company’s employees and customers at risk, especially those in rural and suburban areas of the United States.” AT&T workers in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands played a critical role in making sure people could reach their loved ones in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Now, instead of doing the right thing by acknowledging workers’ dedication and investing in American jobs, AT&T is doing a billionaire’s bidding by putting its workers on the chopping block and abandoning these communities. CWA represents almost 900 technicians, customer service representatives and retail employees at AT&T and AT&T Mobility in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ### — Oct 10
  • Workers and Elected Leaders Protest Racial Discrimination at Verizon Wireless
    Today, Verizon Wireless workers and elected leaders including New York State Senator Julia Salazar and New York State Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou rallied outside the Verizon Wireless store on Wall Street to protest and deliver a 15,000-signature petition calling on Verizon to address issues of racism reported by workers around the country. Workers in different regions who have experienced racial discrimination from managers and customers were joined in solidarity by Brooklyn-based Verizon Wireless workers. Verizon Wireless workers rallied outside the Verizon Wireless store on Wall Street. "Racism was rampant at the Verizon Wireless store where I worked, and the company is complicit because management's indifference allowed it to continue," said Martin Hopkins, a former Verizon Wireless employee who is filing an EEOC complaint over being terminated after enduring years of racist treatment by customers and management at a retail store in Lancaster, Ohio. "Verizon Wireless executives need to take responsibility and make it clear they will not tolerate toxic work environments where racial discrimination can thrive." A growing number of Verizon employees around the country are coming forward with experiences of racial discrimination at Verizon Wireless stores and call centers, with recent allegations and EEOC complaints at a call center in Irving, Texas, and a retail location in Columbus, Ga. "Verizon Wireless executives should be ashamed for their failure to condemn racist acts by management," said Jennifer Womack, a Verizon call center worker who has spoken out about racial discrimination and retaliation at her center in Irving. "At my call center specifically, the company needs to do more to protect workers from retaliation. Management violates our rights by trying to prevent us from organizing and making our voices heard, through anti-union meetings and surveillance. The workers who help make Verizon Wireless successful as a company deserve more respect." "Verizon Wireless workers around the country, including here in New York, stand with Martin and Jennifer and every other Verizon employee who has experienced racism at the company and seen nothing done about it," said Monique Murphy, a Brooklyn-based VZW store employee. "We are fortunate at my store because we have a union, which helps empower us to stand up and address issues in the workplace. If Verizon took these issues of racial discrimination seriously, then they would listen to workers who are brave enough to speak out." Verizon Wireless workers and elected leaders rallied outside the Verizon Wireless store on Wall Street to protest and deliver a 15,000-signature petition calling on Verizon to address issues of racism reported by workers around the country. — Oct 10
  • Arizona CWAers Building Worker Power!
    Arizona CWAers had a busy week of working hard to build power for working people! Last week, CWA members and retirees participated in several events and actions:
    • CWA members delivered more than 300 postcards signed by CWAers to Sen. Martha McSally's office urging her to support the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act and the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act. The members shared with the Senator's staff how the legislation would affect CWA workers directly, and talked about how difficult it can be to work at a call center and how much additional pressure is added to workers when jobs can be outsourced so easily. 
    • Members held a Political Action Fund (PAF) drive at the AT&T call center in Mesa. They collected 12 PAF cards and showed solidarity with Arizona Republic workers who are organizing with the NewsGuild-CWA for a voice in the workplace. 
    • CWA Local 7019 held a meet and greet and petition signature collection with Arizona Corporation Commission candidate Bill Mundell in Phoenix. More than 50 members turned out for the event to listen to Bill talk about how to hold CenturyLink accountable.  
    — Oct 10
  • CWA Local 1108 Shows Solidarity with UAW Members
    Striking UAW members at General Motors are still holding the line, and we're out there standing with them! CWA Local 1108 made the trip to Rochester to show their support and tell GM that the labor world is behind our UAW family. — Oct 10