New Tentative Agreements at NBC Universal and Human Rights Watch and other news

Last week, 700 call center workers at Maximus, the federal government’s largest call center contractor, walked off the job in the largest federal call center strike in history. Centers in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Bogalusa, La., were largely shut down, while workers also joined the strike in Albany, N.Y.; Chester, Va.; Phoenix, Ariz.; London, Ky.; and Tampa, Fla.

Maximus workers said they had no choice but to go on strike during the open enrollment period as their demands for livable wages and better working conditions have gone unanswered by the company. In some instances, the company has sought to deter organizing by resorting to intimidation and retaliation—tactics that are the subject of unfair labor practice charges pending at the NLRB.

“I have been working at Maximus for the last nine years, struggling to support both my two children and myself,” said Katherine Charles, who has worked at a Maximus CMS call center as a bilingual Obamacare agent since 2014. “I can’t even properly treat my own medical condition, which requires a doctor’s visit every three months, because the medical bills are so high under our insurance. As we approach the busiest time of the year at the CMS call centers, we need to show Maximus that we won’t stand for its mistreatment. We’re putting down our headsets and striking for what’s right—the better working conditions, wages, and medical coverage we deserve.”

During a press conference on the day of the strike, CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. and Stacey Abrams shared their support for striking workers and called out the Biden administration, which awarded the company another massive contract last year, for ignoring the plight of the workers.

“Maximus is a multi-billion-dollar federal contractor. Maximus CEO Bruce Caswell isn’t struggling—he’s been paid more than $20 million over the last three years, while the company has given hundreds of millions of dollars to shareholders,” said President Cummings during the press conference. “We are fed up. Enough is enough. This is not a new problem; these workers have been standing up and speaking out for years.”

CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam joined the strikers in Chester, Va. “It is shameful—absolutely shameful—that you are working hard every day for the federal government and helping millions of Americans, yet you and your families are forced to scrape by,” she told the crowd. “Everyone at CWA is committed to standing with you in your righteous fight for respect, for dignity, and a better future for your families and communities, as long as it takes. We are here, and we have your backs.”

Actress Kerry Washington, a SAG-AFTRA member, tweeted her support for the striking workers.

Workers are calling on the Biden Administration to raise wages at Maximus to $25 per hour, require Maximus to provide employees with affordable healthcare benefits, and investigate Maximus to ensure it is a responsible federal contractor. Click here to tell the Biden Administration to investigate Maximus.

Approximately 100 CWAers and union siblings joined in solidarity with striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers in a virtual rally on Tuesday. The Post-Gazette workers have been on strike for over a year, maintaining their picket lines and their solidarity through 2023’s longest ongoing U.S. strike.

TVO CMG members, who recently won their first real wage increase in 10 years after striking for 11 weeks, showed up in solidarity with the Post-Gazette strikers. Supporters also included Larry Cohen, former CWA President; Jon Schleuss, NewsGuild-CWA President; Marian Needham, TNG-CWA Vice President; Don Villar, Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor; and Bill O’Meara, NewsGuild representative to the CWA Defense Fund Oversight Committee, accompanied by the full committee.

“Our resolve is strengthened by the support and solidarity that NewsGuild and CWA members across the world have given us since day one of this strike,” said Andrew Goldstein, Post-Gazette Education reporter on strike and unit chair. “It is because of that support that we still believe we can win this fight, and when we do, it will be a victory not just in Pittsburgh but for everyone who stood with us during these challenging months.”

As the holiday season approaches, CWA members are uniting to send messages of support to the strikers, to provide food and gas gift cards, and to purchase items from their gift registry. To participate, visit cwa.org/ppgholiday. You can also donate to their strike fund. All donations go directly to helping striking workers and their families pay rent, utility bills, and other necessities.

NBC Universal

After 11 months of bargaining, the NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee reached a tentative agreement with NBC Universal last week on a new Master Agreement covering nearly 3,000 staff and daily hire employees working as broadcast engineers in the studios and in the field for NBC News, NBC Sports, and NBC Entertainment. The Master Agreement also covers staging services personnel in Washington, D.C., news writers, plant maintenance personnel, and couriers at company network and TV station operations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

The improvements in the new agreement include a 12 percent wage increase over the remaining life of the new contract, an increase in the daily benefit payment, and eligibility for short turnaround payments for daily hires. The package also provides for a substantial increase in “travel-only” pay for daily hires. In addition, staff and eligible daily hire employees will receive ratification bonus payments in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.

NABET-CWA Locals will be conducting ratification voting over the next few weeks, and the votes will be tabulated in mid-December.

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American Airlines Passenger Service

CWA-IBT passenger service members at American Airlines rallied outside eight airports this week as part of a national day of action to demand better pay and job security. More than a year after negotiations between American Airlines and the CWA-IBT bargaining team began, the company has yet to guarantee job security and fair wages for its passenger service workers in a collective bargaining agreement. Picketing locations included Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, Philadelphia, New York City, and Rhode Island.

“Our members cannot wait any longer for American Airlines to address its reputation as being one of the largest U.S. airlines with the lowest pay,” said Heidi Andrews, an American Airlines customer service agent and chief steward for CWA Local 1171. “But with the airline industry constantly changing, we want to make sure passenger service workers are not only paid fairly, but are also guaranteed a future in the industry so we can continue to do the job we love.”

Many passenger service workers have not received a wage increase in four years. At the same time, there are concerns that American Airlines will outsource some of their work to Artificial Intelligence. Passenger service workers are on the frontlines of our airline industry, assisting passengers and keeping air travel on schedule and safe. They deserve a strong contract that recognizes the value they provide to the airline industry and provides both fair wages and job security.

CWA members rallied outside airports across the country this week as part of a national day of action to demand better pay and job security and to educate travelers about their fight for a fair contract. Clockwise starting from top center: CWA Local 3642 at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, CWA Local 1171 at the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, CWA Locals 3640 and 3641 at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, CWA Local 6001 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, CWA Local 13301 at the Philadelphia International Airport, CWA Local 3140 at the Miami International Airport, and CWA Local 6001 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

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Human Rights Watch

After 18 months of bargaining, CWA Local 1180 members at Human Rights Watch (HRW) have reached a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract. Through their solidarity in a long contract campaign, the workers at HRW have won more than 25 percent in compounded wage increases over the term of the contract.

The dedicated union staff at HRW fight on behalf of children, migrants, refugees, and political prisoners around the world. Over the past year and a half, they have also fought on behalf of their coworkers, raising minimum salaries by 11.44 percent so that a new generation of union members can do this important work. The members achieved bargaining unit work protection, increased sick time, remote work protections, paid lunch breaks, layoff protections, and longevity increases. As members look to the rights of their coworkers, they also secured a voluntary recognition agreement to organize other workers within the organization.

After 18 months of bargaining, CWA Local 1180 members at Human Rights Watch (HRW) have reached a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract.

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AFGE

FNR-CWA Local 2385 members who work at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) rallied outside of the union’s headquarters on Wednesday to raise awareness of AFGE’s disregard for its workers and their rights.

After signing a new collective bargaining agreement in May, AFGE immediately began repudiating several articles in the new contract and fired the vice president of the local. Although FNR-CWA Local 2385 has filed numerous unfair labor practice charges and grievances against AFGE, the organization continues to violate the contract.

FNR-CWA Local 2385 members who work at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) rallied outside of the union’s headquarters to raise awareness of AFGE’s disregard for its workers and their rights.

University of Utah Health System

On Tuesday, frontline healthcare workers at the University of Utah Health System announced that they had formed Utah Health Workers United-CWA (UHWU-CWA) to address growing concerns surrounding safe staffing levels, wages, and benefits.

“Current efforts by the University to address our concerns are insufficient,” the workers said in a statement announcing their union. “The topics of wages and staffing are explicitly off limits in many University listening sessions. This is why our union is necessary.”

Fania Bevill, a nurse for 23 years and a UHWU member, has seen the effects of “just in time” staffing firsthand. “So many employees go above and beyond—without breaks, staying late—to give our patients the best care,” explained Bevill. “It causes moral distress to know the high level of care we want to provide, but in order to provide that care, we have to sacrifice our physical and mental health because there aren’t enough staff. I care about my coworkers and my patients, and I want the best for them. I don’t want this generation of health workers to struggle unnecessarily when we know it’s possible to have safer staffing.”

Healthcare workers at the University of Utah Health System announcing that they have formed Utah Health Workers United-CWA (UHWU-CWA).

On Tuesday, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International President Sara Nelson testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Nelson joined UAW International President Shawn Fain and Teamsters International President Sean O’Brien to testify about the impact that unions have in improving the lives of working families.

Nelson called out the unlawful company union at SkyWest and airline executives for treating workers on the frontlines as not only a line-item, but as disposable. Nelson spoke forcefully for the power of working families who come together to build the American dream, and called out the billionaires who hoard American wealth.

“Our capitalist economy has unraveled the American dream. I have a message for the billionaires who want to bleed us dry: There is plenty for everyone. You can still be fabulously wealthy, but if you continue to try to keep us poor, you will find that working people are not going to take it anymore,” said Nelson. “When we find solidarity, we find power. We can use that power to hold capital accountable, to ensure that our voices are heard, our contributions respected, and our work rewarded.”

AFA-CWA Int’l President Sara Nelson (right) testifies before the Senate with UAW Int’l President Sean Fain (left) and Teamsters Int’l President Sean O’Brien (center).

CWA activists joined forces with union members and coalition partners from across the country last week to participate in the 22nd Biennial Coalition of Labor Union Women Convention (CLUW) in Minneapolis, Minn.

This year’s convention theme was “Hear us Roar…as We Get Ready for 2024!” and focused on the importance of networking, information-sharing, and building a stronger labor movement in the upcoming election year.

Attendees worked together to set new goals and frame clearer objectives for our movement. Panels were held to discuss the multitude of challenges facing women across all demographics.

Convention attendees were inspired by featured speakers CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and CWA Chief of Staff and CLUW Board Member Sylvia J. Ramos. CWA Public Health and Education Workers (PHEW) Vice President Margret Cook also attended the convention.

CWA Member Vonda Wilkins of Local 7019 said, “Attending this year’s convention left me feeling more powerful as a Unionist, a woman, and an organizer, and reminded me that we [CWA] members aren’t fighting this fight alone for a more equitable society.”

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. addressed the Coalition of Labor Union Women Convention last week, where CWA activists joined forces with union members and coalition partners from across the country to network, share information, and build a stronger labor movement.

November marks Native American Heritage Month. As part of its yearly celebration of the diverse contributions Native American leaders and activists have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people, the AFL-CIO featured CWA Local 7019 member Robert Gilson. Robert is a descendant of the White Mountain Apache Tribe in Arizona and served seven years in the U.S. Army before going to work at U.S. West (now Lumen), where he is a broadband technician. He encourages his workgroup to get active in the union so they will always have a voice at the table and because the union knows how to ensure equality for all.