News

  • CWA, NABET, and NewsGuild File FCC Petition to Deny Sinclair-Tribune Merger
    The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) and the NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) today filed a petition with the FCC to deny the potential merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Company, saying that the merger does not serve the public interest. CWA’s petition states that the potential Sinclair-Tribune merger would violate the congressionally mandated 39 percent national audience cap, reduce competition, harm localism, eliminate jobs, and diminish viewpoint diversity. The petition points out that there is broad opposition to the Sinclair-Tribune merger among labor unions; civil rights, consumer, and public interest organizations; cable, satellite TV, and rural broadband providers; independent news and entertainment programmers; as well as many members of Congress, state attorneys general, and members of the general public. The petition mentions that Sinclair recently faced widespread criticism for a video showing news anchors from numerous local news networks owned by Sinclair reading talking points that support one political party’s narrative about the media. “Forcing a particular viewpoint across stations – as opposed to letting local stations compete for stories and elevate issues important to local communities – results in widespread uniformity of thought. When uniformity of thought is used to push a political narrative, it becomes propaganda,” CWA says. CWA also points out that Sinclair has a long history of scaling back quality news and cutting jobs, and that when Sinclair buys a station, cutting local news operations is not far behind, citing examples at KOMO in Seattle, WA; WNWO in Toledo, OH; WUHF in Rochester, NY; WXLV in Greensboro, NC; KOKH in Oklahoma City, OK; KDNL in St. Louis, MO; and WLFL in Raleigh, NC. “Applicants fail to demonstrate that any purported merger-related benefits exceed the substantial public interest harms. The Commission should deny the Sinclair-Tribune merger,” CWA concludes. Read the full petition here. — Jun 20
  • After American Airlines Authorizes $2 Billion in Stock Buybacks, over 30 Members of Congress Call on Company to Raise Wages for Passenger Service Agents
    Washington, D.C. – Today, amid growing concern about corporate stock buybacks in the wake of the Republican tax bill, Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) led thirty-one members of Congress in sending a letter to American Airlines CEO Doug Parker calling on the company to invest in its workforce. Despite promises that tax windfalls would be used to raise wages and create jobs, American Airlines recently authorized $2 billion in stock buybacks over the next two years. These buybacks come as more than 9,500 passenger service agents at American Airlines subsidiaries Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines are in protracted contract negotiations with the company to address their poverty level wages. Agents at Envoy are paid as little as $9.48 an hour, while those at Piedmont start at just $8.50 an hour, leaving many unable to afford basic necessities. In their letter, members of Congress call on American Airlines to commit to a living wage for passenger service agents when the company returns to the bargaining table this week. “During the debate over the recently-enacted tax law, proponents promised that lowering the overall corporate tax rate would result in raises for employees,” the letter states. “[I]nstead of seeing increases in take-home pay, we have seen a wave of announcements by corporations that they intend to use their projected profits for stock buybacks.” The letter urges American to “make substantial progress in the next round of bargaining over the Envoy and Piedmont contracts so that passenger service agents – not just shareholders and corporate executives – benefit from increased profitability levels.” Today's letter is a follow-up to a letter to Parker sent by Rep. Schakowsky and 81 other members of Congress earlier this year which expressed similar concerns. “American Airlines and other big corporations have broken their tax bill promises to invest in workers and create good jobs,” said Richard Honeycutt, Vice President of Communications Workers of America District 3 and Chair of CWA's Passenger Service Airline Council. “While American stonewalls Envoy and Piedmont workers over wages at the bargaining table, the company is planning to spend billions on buybacks to line the pockets of shareholders and executives. Working families refuse to be left behind – and we’re standing together with these elected leaders to say enough is enough.” The letter comes as American Airlines considers passing on fuel price increases to customers, adding to concerns that the company is enriching executives and shareholders at the expense of employees and consumers. The letter and a full list of signatories can be found here: June 19 Letter to Doug Parker — Jun 19
  • Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act Provides Critical Support for Working People
    The Communications Workers of America applauds the introduction of the Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act. This bill helps ensure that working people will have the freedom to join together to negotiate for a fair return on their work and increases penalties for employers who violate workers' rights. It also makes it easier for workers who have joined a union to reach a first contract with their employer and strengthens their right to strike for better wages, benefits and working conditions. The Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act is a step in the right direction toward restoring balance to our system so that it is no longer rigged in favor of corporate CEOs and the one percent. — Jun 19
  • CWA Legislative-Political Conference Focuses on Returning Power to Working People
    Opening this week's CWA Legislative-Political Conference, CWA President Chris Shelton asked participants to lead the fight to win back power for working people in this fall's elections. "We need to go from protest to politics, from protest to power," Shelton said. "And that fight starts right now." Shelton highlighted recent attacks on working people by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress, including the corporate tax cut bill, the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, and the appointees to the Labor Department, NLRB, and National Mediation Board who have begun systematically reducing protections for workers on the job. He also stressed the need to ensure that the Democratic Party takes a stronger stand on issues that affect working people and their ability to join together to negotiate strong contracts. In her remarks, CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens detailed the resurgence in worker organizing and local political activism, much of which is being led by CWA members and retirees. "I know we are at the beginning of a new era for working people," Steffens said. "And CWA is leading the way." Speakers during the first day of the conference represented the kind of elected officials that have won support from CWA members because they are committed to fight against the corporate CEOs who are using their massive profits to take power away from the people and devastate our communities. Conference participants heard from Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown; Charlotte, N.C., Councilmember Braxton Winston; and West Virginia State Senator Richard Ojeda. CWA Legislative Director Shane Larson reviewed recent legislative victories, including CWA members' success at preventing anti-worker legislation and advancing bills at the state and federal level that protect call center jobs. CWA Political Director Rafael Navar moderated a panel discussion on how to replicate last year's electoral victories in Virginia state legislative races, featuring Virginia Delegates Lee Carter and Jennifer Carroll Foy, Doris Crouse-Mays, President of Virginia AFL-CIO and Jon Liss, Executive Director of New Virginia Majority. CWAers at the conference attended workshops on topics including combating inequality, telecommunications policy, democracy, NAFTA, online campaign tools, call center legislation, and getting-out-the-vote. Delegations of CWA members met with their Senators and Representatives to discuss key issues and ask for their support. On the first day of the Legislative-Political Conference, participants heard from Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, CWA President Chris Shelton, CWA Secretary Treasurer Sara Steffens, CWA Legislative Director Shane Larson, CWA Political Director Rafael Navar, Charlotte, N.C. Councilmember Braxton Winston, West Virginia State Senator Richard Ojeda, Virginia Delegates Lee Carter and Jennifer Carroll Foy, Doris Crouse-Mays, President of Virginia AFL-CIO and Jon Liss, Executive Director of New Virginia Majority CWA opened the second day of the conference to members of allied organizations who are part of our common fight against Wall Street, the big banks, and the corporate elite. This unprecedented event, called "We the People 2018," drew national attention and was livestreamed by NBC News. President Shelton gave the opening address, and the standing-room-only crowd heard from Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). Members of the audience engaged with the speakers. CWA Local 1109 member Bianca Cunningham, who worked with her coworkers to organize her Verizon Wireless store and five others in Brooklyn and was unfairly fired in 2015, encouraged Sen. Harris to commit to supporting legislation that strengthens workers' rights to join together and penalizes companies that engage in illegal anti-union activity. The speakers also expressed support for crucial issues like strengthening workers' rights, protecting Medicare and Social Security, holding Wall Street accountable, acting on DACA, and much more. CWA opened the second day of the Legislative-Political Conference to members of allied organizations who are part of our common fight against Wall Street, the big banks, and the corporate elite for an unprecedented event called "We the People 2018," featuring Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). — Jun 14
  • Bargaining Update
    Piedmont Airlines and Envoy Air At the American Airlines shareholders meeting in New York this week, an Envoy passenger service agent demanded answers from the CEO and board of directors about how they can approve increased multi-million dollar payouts for top brass while many of their workers at Piedmont and Envoy must rely on food stamps and other forms of public assistance because of poverty pay. At the meeting, Envoy agent Takisha Gower said, "I am here on behalf of my 9,000 coworkers at Envoy and Piedmont who are seeking fair pay for our work, and fair union contracts. We are the face of American, and we're expected to project a positive image. But we are treated like we don't have value. We are negotiating in good faith, yet American is refusing to agree to pay family-supporting wages and put agents on a career track." Business is booming at American. The company made almost $2 billion last year, got a huge tax cut from the Republican corporate tax cut bill, and paid millions to executives. Meanwhile, 9,000 passenger service workers at American-owned Envoy and Piedmont Air still have to survive on poverty pay. Read more here. ### Windstream Workers from CWA Locals 3371 and 3372 at Windstream in Kentucky reached a tentative agreement with the company last week. Workers' mobilization efforts in Lexington where the negotiations were taking place helped encourage Windstream to negotiate a fair contract. — Jun 14