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Communications Workers of America
Local Leaders
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I would like to share a message from Larry Cohen, National President of CWA that is of the utmost importance to you and your families:
January 11, 2010
To: All Local Presidents
Subject: Urgent -- Health Care Fight is NOW!
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
It is urgent that you read this message and that you, your local officers and stewards, and your members act NOW or Congress and the White House may adopt legislation that will tax our health care benefits.
Across CWA we have supported and worked for health care reform for 20 years. We have always aimed high, focused on universal, affordable and fairly funded supplements to employer-based care.
We have always been clear that we have sacrificed for our negotiated plans and reform should assist us in maintaining and improving coverage for our families and retirees.
Unfortunately, I must report that the excise tax on good health care plans that was included in the Senate, but not the House, version continues to move toward adoption unless CWA and our allies act NOW!
The Speaker of the House and at least 189 members have made it clear that they oppose the tax and the House version is funded progressively by taxing those in the top 1 percent as well as including an employer mandate for employers that do not provide even minimal health care coverage. But the Senate leadership is saying some version of the excise tax, which could affect nearly all of our plans, must be included in order to get the 60 votes needed to move the conference bill forward.
The CWA Executive Board is asking every steward to mobilize her or his workplace Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week to call House members with a simple and clear message:
"No Taxes on our health care plans. If our plans are hit with a 40 percent excise tax, we will never keep the health care we have and when we voted for you that was your promise. We support the House version of reform, but compromise with the Senate and White House cannot include taxing our plans."
Follow the prompts and you will be directed to your House member's office.
This fight is NOW. The status seems to change by the hour and negotiations could be over as early as this weekend. CWAers like you have led this fight and we need to use every minute to make sure that we make a difference NOW in the final days of the House, Senate and White House negotiations.
In Solidarity,
Larry Cohen
President
We fought hard during the last contract to keep healthcare premiums as low as they are. This is the slippery slope we were talking about. Your healthcare will cost more and more money from YOUR POCKET. DO NOT ALLOW THIS EXCISE TAX!
Get everyone you can to call there House Representatives THIS WEEK as part of the effort to STOP THE 40% EXCISE TAX on your HEALTHCARE PLAN.
In Unity,
Kenny Williams
President - CWA Local 9510
(714) 978-9510 |
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(Updated with comments from Kenny Williams, president of CWA Local 9510.)
AT&T will cut 85 jobs in Orange by Dec. 2, according to a notice filed with the state, and also will eliminate an undisclosed number of jobs in Anaheim, a company official confirmed today.
The Orange jobs are in AT&T's customer information services operation. The cuts were included in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice filed with the state, which is required whenever an employer lays off 50 or more people in California.
Word was that 500 other workers would be laid off in Anaheim, but Marty Richter, an AT&T spokesman, said that number "is very inaccurate." He declined to give the actual number, saying the company doesn't release those details. He also would not disclose when the layoffs would take place.
The jobs affected are in the company's wireline (land line) business, which has been declining.
"We're consistently working to match our workforce to our customer load and the needs of the business. Parts of our business are growing -- such as wireless, broadband and video -- and part of our business are declining -- most notably, wireline," said Richter. "In those parts of the business that are growing we are adding jobs; at the same time, we are shedding some jobs in the parts of our business that are declining."
He said the layoffs were part of an effort to consolidate centers.
Kenny Williams, president Communications Workers of America 9510 in Orange, said there have been no layoffs among the people he represents yet. The company, however, has offered voluntary early retirements and buyouts to workers who want to take them.
The union is concerned that if enough workers don't leave voluntarily, that the company will declare a surplus which could lead to layoffs (This is a misquote).
He said 200 to 300 customer service reps potentially are affected.
"The company has made no bones about it that they want to consolidate call centers outside the state," Williams said. "We are going to fight that with everything we have." |
CWA LOCAL 9510 MOBILIZATION
Information Hotline (714) 978-9510 Ext. 57
www.cwa9510.org
E-mail: 9510mobilize@sbcglobal.net
Yours in solidarity
Kenny Williams
President CWA9510.
WHY ARE WE FIGHTING?
It is our contract and want to improve the standard of living for us, our family and the people in our communities. So we can afford the products and services we provide for at&t.
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
Job security, fair compensation plans, equitable work schedules, healthcare, training, and jobs of the future.
WHEN ARE WE FIGHTING?
January 21, 2009 talks begin with mobility bargaining
February 7, 2009 mobility contract expires
February 24, 2009 bargaing begins with 6 core sectors for at&t
April 4, 2009 at&t core contract expires
CWA Local (714)978-9510 ext 57, 9510mobilize@sbcglobal.net
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April 5th
Bargaining is ongoing. However, the tone of bargaining remains unchanged. At this point there is no strike authorization from the President of the CWA. A strike could be called at any time.
The company wants to take away your health care, job security, and change your entire way of life because of greed.
Brothers and Sisters, if we lose this WAR YOU WILL NEVER REGAIN THESE HARD EARNED BENEFITS IN YOUR CAREER. The plan is to be as SAFE AND AS SMART AT WORK AS YOU POSSIBLE CAN.
After all, we now know for sure that AT&T doesn't CARE ABOUT YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR HEALTH OR THE WORK YOU DO FOR THERE CUSTOMERS.
The message is clear, THEY LIVE IN MANSIONS AND THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU LIVE AT ALL. SO WE MUST TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND BE SAFE AND SMART AT WORK. All we are looking for is JUSTICE and all we have is JUST US.
The next MEMBERSHIP MTG IS 4-7-09 @ THE UNION HALL PLEASE ATTEND. FOR NOW REPORT TO WORK ON YOUR NEXT SCHEDULED DAY AND REMEMBER AT&T ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY, GREED AND THEMSELVES.
Details to follow as they are made available... In unity, Kenny Williams |
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VERIZON MEMBERS!
MOBILIZATION ALERT!
Insanity Spreading Among Verizon Management Faster Than Swine Flu
This Rumor IS True!
Verizon did in fact foolishly refuse to meet with your entire elected CWA bargaining committee because they were wearing CWA caps. This insane show of disrepect is a test of our resolve.
Verizon has just let me know that they intend to not meet with your elected bargaining committee if Local 9586 resident Gregg Gibson is wearing a CWA (or any other type of cap). This is silly, stupid, childish and surreal, but this is their stated intention.
The entire bargaining committee will be wearing CWA caps for tomorrow's meeting and we will see what happens. In the meantime, you all now have one of the easiest solidarity ever given you going into next year's negotiations. By the end of the week we should have well over 50 % of our members wearing caps every day; by next Wednesday It should be as close to 100% as it ever will be.
Ball caps are easy to find and they are cheap; let me know if you need help. You cannot allow the company to get by with the single most arrogant directive that I have seen in my 32 years of the movement.
They actually believe they can use this to intimidate all their employees; I think I have never seen hubris like this in my life. If we do this one simple task right over the next two to three weeks we can force them to come to me with their hats in hand (pun intended)
You can make this happen; I can't do it without you. Please give me the power to teach these corporate mindless swine a lesson. |
What’s happening at Verizon?
- ISP offers
- Pending layoffs
- Entire departments closing
- Jobs leaving California
- Arrogant disrespect for us and our elected Bargaining Committee
What are we going to do about  it?
We’re Hanging Our Hats on Mobilization
Our solidarity and determination can and will overcome management’s disregard for us as employees and working people.
With bargaining just a few months away, we need to remind Verizon management that we are united all across the bargaining unit. We demand a fair contract, lawful and reasonable conduct at the bargaining table, and respect for us and for the bargaining process.
Put your hat on at
2:00 p.m. exactly
Thursday, November 5
If you are threatened with discipline, take off the hat. Don’t surrender it to management.
Put it on your desk as a reminder that you’re a party to this action.
CWA Local 9510
714-978-9510 |
HELP
STOP THE GENOCIDE
IN DARFUR!
September 10th
“Even if you’re not a union member, every American owes something to America’s labor movement.”
President Barack Obama, Labor Day 2009
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Labor Day 2009 begins a new season for working families. For us, our calling is to serve workers and build our union and our movement. For CWA, this is a critical time, a turning point possibly like no other in our history.
As we all predicted, bargaining in the U.S. is like never before. Unemployment is near 10 percent and counting, under employment 20 percent. Earned income is down 4 percent for the last 12 months. Deflation of .66 percent has replaced inflation, meaning that a 3 percent wage increase is equivalent to 3.66 in real terms. All of this is unprecedented.
But, of course, for us bargaining rates in the private sector of 7 percent and our own membership falling by 20,000 this year are more important numbers. As the President has also said “Change we can believe in,” and we have to lead it like never before.
We can play defense and offense at the same time, but we need to make the connection or we will not keep hope alive. We must link our bargaining and organizing to broaden change as well as defend the benefits and living standards we have fought to have for generations. We can defend our jobs but also understand the need to bring CWA and bargaining rights to our major employers and industries. We can bargain the best health care benefits possible and link that bargaining to a commitment that in the next few months, we can help lead the U.S. to join every other democracy with broad-based health care where every employer must play or pay.
For now, health care is center stage and rightly so. Health care cost escalation has led most employers to dump all retiree health care and cut back on benefits for actives. Tonight, President Obama will address this, but we will need to dig in and fight for our core principles like never before or we could end up worse than when we started. In particular, we will need to fight taxing of our benefits or plans, and fight for the employer mandate as the way to pay for health care for all.
At the same time, we must stay focused on Employee Free Choice—no one else will! The Chamber will fight this in the months ahead just as they will fight against health care reform and financial regulation. The Chamber and U.S. management have no trouble doing more than one thing at a time.
Today there is a key hearing in Massachusetts to amend the state’s election law so the Governor can appoint an interim senator, as Senator Kennedy wished, until the special election in early 2010. CWA will have 50 activists in that auditorium, helping to fill it and put the electeds on notice that we cannot wait for real health care reform or Free Choice. Without the key 60th Democratic senator we cannot get cloture for Free Choice or most likely real health care reform. However, with the 60th D, we have better than average odds to enact the first major positive change in the NLRA since enactment almost 75 years ago. October to early December will be the key time in the Senate and we will need to mobilize, with your leadership, like never before.
Many of you have been involved in critical bargaining and know first hand what bargaining is like in 2009 as every employer uses the economy to explain why they must cut, ignoring the consequences that continuing cuts contribute to a worse recession. I realize that you are on the front lines whether bargaining at AT&T or any employer, or any of the other aspects of representing our members every day.
In two weeks our Executive Board will be meeting here—recommitting to the big fights for health care reform and Free Choice as well as organizing, electoral work in key states like New Jersey and Virginia with gubernatorial races and the legislature on the line, as well as key issues internally like dealing with our finances and the structure of our union. Next week, the AFL -CIO will meet in Pittsburgh and elect Rich Trumka as president and other new officers. CWA will be there committed to labor unity and health care and Free Choice.
But none of this is possible or even hopeful without you leading the way. As the President said on Labor Day, we need to be “Fired Up and Ready to Go.” We need that spirit in every local even in these toughest of times. I am more convinced than ever that together we will make a significant difference in the critical months ahead.
In Solidarity,
Larry Cohen
President |
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