Worker Power Update

CWA District 1 Building Broadband Better

Last week, over a hundred CWA members participated in a virtual town hall to learn about the CWA Broadband Brigade and to discuss opportunities that federal Broadband funding presents for workers and communities in CWA District 1.

CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor kicked off the town hall, which was organized by the Brigade members from District 1. In a recent op-ed published in the Times Union, Trainor said, "We cannot cut a blank check and trust the work will get done efficiently. It is on the state to make sure that the significant public funding proposed in the FY2023 budget comes with the right protections attached to ensure high-quality networks to deliver high-speed, reliable broadband and good jobs in the industry. Let’s make sure this money is put to good use so all New Yorkers get connected."

The Brigade members who organized the event, Nick Hoh (CWA Local 1104), Tom Roulley (CWA Local 1122), and Kim Edwards (CWA Local 1298), led a presentation on the challenges and opportunities we’re facing and our fight for strong labor standards that will ensure broadband is built by well trained union workers. Joe Tarulli from CWA Local 1102 also led a discussion about the CWA Political Action Fund and how our members’ contributions lead directly to huge victories for workers.

Fired up by the presentations, participants completed an online action urging their legislators to include labor standards for broadband funding. Click here to learn more about the Build Broadband Better campaign.

Watch the CWA District 1 Broadband Town Hall here.

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CWA Applauds President Biden’s Federal Budget Proposal

Since the day he took office, President Biden has made good on his commitments to working families. His recent budget proposal for fiscal year 2023 would strengthen the government’s ability to stop corporations from profiting by attacking workers’ rights and enriching CEOs at the expense of jobs. Most notably, it includes a sixteen percent increase in funding for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency’s first budget increase since 2014. This funding will address staffing shortages and other impediments caused by nearly a decade of underfunding, hindering the NLRB’s ability to protect workers’ rights without delay.

The proposal also cracks down on stock buybacks that corporate executives use to reward themselves over creating good, union jobs and taxes billionaires to make sure they pay their fair share. It would do so by prohibiting top executives from selling their personal stockholdings for a multiyear period after a buyback or buyback announcement. In addition to the new restrictions on CEO buyback behavior, the Biden budget also includes a 1% excise tax on share repurchases. As the President said, “budgets are statements of values” and it’s clear that the President’s values continue to be aligned with our union’s values and the values of the entire labor movement.

We urge Congress to carefully consider and pass these proposals that would empower workers, advance equity, and provide workers a path to good, middle class jobs.

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CWA Endorses Charlie Crist for Governor of Florida

The CWA Florida Presidents’ Council announced that they have endorsed Charlie Crist for Governor of Florida.

“Charlie Crist has a proven track record of putting Florida’s working class first,” said Steve Wisniewski, President of CWA Local 3108. “As a congressman, Charlie answered the call for CWA and all working people, cosponsoring critical legislation like the PRO Act and voting for the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides billions for broadband expansion and supports good union jobs.”

Incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis has pursued an agenda hostile to Florida’s working families during his term as governor, including support for anti-collective bargaining bills which would negatively impact hundreds of thousands of Florida’s workers and authorizing corporate tax giveaways and bills which restrict Floridians' right to vote.

“We are ready to get to work and mobilize our 15,000 members to elect a champion for Florida’s workers, Charlie Crist, and send him back to Tallahassee as our next governor,” said Glenda Abicht, CWA Legislative/Political Coordinator for Florida.

Click here to view all CWA endorsed candidates for upcoming elections around the country. The list will be updated periodically.