Media Unions Urge Biden to Support Journalists Fleeing Afghanistan and other news

E-Z Pass workers from CWA Local 1102 have been fighting to save their jobs. The Metropolitan Transit Authority, the government agency responsible for managing New York State’s bridges and tolls, recently awarded the E-Z Pass contract to a new company named Fanueil. This ended the current arrangement, which has been in place for over a decade, putting CWA Local 1102 members’ jobs in jeopardy.

Members of the local have been mobilizing to secure a commitment from the new company to keep their jobs. They have been meeting with elected officials including State Senator Diane Savino (D-N.Y.) and Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-N.Y.), who have been supportive of the workers.

Click here to listen to CWA Local 1102 President Steve Lawton and E-Z Pass worker Hope Gilmore on the America’s WorkForce Union Podcast, discussing the campaign to save E-Z Pass jobs, as well as the campaign for worker safety during the height of the pandemic.

CWA Local 1102 Members Shoma Cappobiano and Carmen Arroyo engage Assemblyman Mike Cusick (D-N.Y.) about the importance of protecting their jobs and rights as workers.

Equality California

Workers at Equality California, the statewide LGBTQ+ rights organization, won voluntary recognition after a supermajority of workers formed a union, Equality Unites, late last month. They joined CWA Local 9003.

###

La Casa de Don Petro

Workers in La Casa de Don Pedro’s Youth, Family, and Health Resources Division voted to join CWA Local 1037, which also represents workers in La Casa’s Early Childhood Division. The organizing committee stayed strong and turned out the vote even through a long election process and management’s anti-union campaign.

###

And More!

This month, journalists at the Asbury Park Press, Home News Tribune, and Courier News, and digital producers at the Atlantic Digital Optimization Team voted to join The NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003). Journalists at Washingtonian magazine also voted in favor of forming the Washingtonian Guild. They will be members of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (TNG-CWA Local 32035).

Last week, CWAers from across District 9 gathered for the first ever virtual District 9 Meeting and Leadership Conference. CWA President Chris Shelton spoke at the conference, themed Rebuilding for Our Future, and stressed the importance of continuing to build on our political and organizing accomplishments, including fighting back against Governor Newsom’s recall election in California. “Those behind the recall have a long history of attacking unions. They are attempting to roll back decades of progress on workers’ rights in the state. The recall poses a direct threat to our jobs, wages, benefits, and our union,” Shelton said. “We need to fight back and vote NO on this recall election.”

“It’s time for the Union to expand and organize across all industries, including those outside of units traditionally represented by CWA,” said CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce during his opening remarks. “Several District 9 locals have current organizing campaigns in nontraditional telecommunications industries, non-profits, gaming, dot-com, and service workers at casinos.”

Western Region At-Large Executive Board Member Dante Harris also addressed the participants of the conference and highlighted CWA’s ability to pivot by learning and adopting new methods of organizing during the pandemic. Participants of the conference also heard from Telecommunications and Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton; Public, Health Care and Education Workers Vice President Margaret Cook; and Curt Hess, Assistant to the Vice President District 4, who spoke on behalf of CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton.