Worker Power Updates Around CWA - Michigan, Kentucky, and New York

Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act

Last week, CWA members in Michigan took to the halls of the state capitol to lobby for the passage of the Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act and its accompanying registry (SB582/SB583/HB5164/HB5165). The bill would create a list of bad actors who are shutting down call centers in Michigan and sending jobs out of the state. It would prevent those offending companies from being eligible for special tax breaks or grants from the state of Michigan.

While the bill has been introduced multiple times in the past and has not had a hearing, CWA activists are more optimistic about making progress on the bill this year since pro-worker Democrats took control of the state House and Senate in 2022.

  
CWA members in Michigan at the state capitol lobbying for the passage of the Michigan Call Center Jobs Retention Act which has been introduced by Senator Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton, top left) and Representative Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw, top right). Participating in the citizen lobby day were (bottom photo, left to right) Jeff Nadolny (CWA Local 4108), Jim Simons (Executive Vice President CWA Local 4009), Jeremy Bain (President, CWA Local 4108), Keith Valko (CWA Local 4008), DeAndre Davis (Executive Vice President CWA Local 4100), Angela Near (CWA Local 4108), and Angie Miller (CWA Local 4108).

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CWAers Turn Out the Vote in Crucial Kentucky Election

CWAers are getting out the vote in Kentucky to defeat attacks on workers’ rights in the state. Governor Andy Beshear has stood with CWA members to fight for workers’ rights and CWAers are coming together to support his re-election effort with phone banks and voter registration drives.

During a virtual CWA phone bank last week, Gov. Beshear thanked CWA volunteers for their efforts and reiterated his support for working families in Kentucky.

IUE-CWA members completed a voter registration drive and mobilized voters at the GE plant in Louisville. Members came together to hold empowering conversations on how CWAers can make a difference in local politics and support pro-union champions like Gov. Beshear and others.

On Tuesday, CWA Next Generation Lead Activists hosted both virtual and in-person phone banks in support of Kentucky’s pro-worker governor. IUE-CWA Lead Activist Megan Simpson hosted a virtual phone bank with volunteers calling union households in Kentucky. Britni Cuington, District 6 Lead Activist, hosted 14 volunteers at Local 6215 in Dallas, Texas. Axel Hawkins, PHEW-CWA Lead Activist, hosted volunteers at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga., including members of United Campus Workers-Georgia and College Democrats of Georgia.

CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton and Vice President Lisa Bolton, Director of the CWA Next Generation Program, welcomed volunteers. “The stakes in this election are so high, not only for Kentucky’s working families, but for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, and young people,” said Vice President Bolton. “Governor Beshear is against Kentucky’s so-called Right-to-Work Law, and we know we can count on him to defend workers’ rights against the radical right-wing lawmakers who control the state’s legislature and are determined to gut our unions.”

Next Gen will host another phone bank on Wednesday, October 25, 6-8 p.m. ET. Volunteers are welcome to join.

IUE members register voters at the GE plant in Louisville, Ky. 

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IUE-CWA Members Build Power in Rochester, N.Y.

IUE-CWA Local 81381 in Rochester, N.Y., recently held a successful Political Action Fund (PAF) drive, signing up nearly 200 new contributors while ensuring that members know which candidates are on their side this November.

Local 81381, also known as the Monroe County Federation of Social Workers, is the oldest public sector social worker union in the United States. Their conversations were centered around why elections matter, and with their upcoming contract negotiations in December, these members understood how important it is to go vote.

"Our membership is directly affected by local elections, and that is why our priority every election cycle is to elect labor-friendly candidates. We must educate our members on who those real labor supporters are. We also have a civic duty to ensure our tax dollars go to programs that impact the most vulnerable community members and that legislation builds up not only working-class but low-income households as well," said IUE-CWA Local 81381 President Christina Christman.

  
IUE-CWA Local 81381 members signed up nearly 200 new contributors and informed members about which candidates are on their side this November at a Political Action Fund (PAF) drive. Monroe County Executive Adam Bellow (bottom photo) is running for re-election this year and has been a huge supporter of Local 81381 members and their bargaining power.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.