May 8, 2014

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Fair Trade Now!

CWA Legislative-Political and Movement Building Conference

T-Mobile Settles NLRB Complaint

NLRB Moves Forward on Consolidated Complaints Against T-Mobile US

Labor Rights Forum Honors Defenders

Fair Trade Now!

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More than a thousand activists from dozens of progressive organizationsrallied on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday to demand trade dealsthat work for everyone – not just the 1 percent.

Braving thunder and a downpour, CWAers and our labor, environmental,student, citizen, faith and good government allies chanted, "They say 'FastTrack!' We Say 'Fight Back!'"

CWA President Larry Cohen introduces members of Congress.

About half the participants came from CWA's legislative-political andmovement building conference. CWA activists were joined by partners from42 other organizations and other unions and the AFL-CIO as part of thecampaign to build a movement for economic justice.

Rally speakers included Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Mike Michaud (D-Me.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.),and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).

MSNBC's Ed Schultz, who covered the rally, laid it out plainly: Free tradeagreements hurt American workers.

"Americans have every right to be outraged that this country is even thinkingabout this. This is a corporate deal. It's driven by Wall Street. It's been donein secrecy. Doesn't that bother you at all?" asked Schultz.

Union and progressive partners rally together.

Watch the rally coverage and CWA President Cohen here.

After the rally, CWA activists and partners visited the offices of every memberof Congress, proving that our alliance is united in the fight for fair trade deals.

CWA Legislative-Political and Movement Building Conference

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This year's legislative-political and movement building conference had atotally different feel, and moved us a step closer to building our movement of50 million activists who can bring about real progressive change. This year,CWA leaders and activists joined with partners from 42 organizations tostrategize about how we move forward together on the issues we care about.

More than 100 participants from partner groups and more than 500 CWAersattended the conference, spoke to the issues and helped present at 17workshops ranging from public financing of elections, fighting back againststate budget shortfalls and holding Democrats accountable to online tools formovement building, immigration reform and more.

Every workshop and panel featured CWA activists from across our union andthe partners with whom we're working everyday on issues like economicjustice, the environment, equal rights and fair trade.

Day 1 focused on how we're building our movement. Day 2 provided anupdate on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, "fast track" authorization,and information for the participants' meetings with their members of Congressfollowing the rally.

Cohen: 'Our Fights Are Really One Battle'

CWA President Larry Cohen called on activists to unite in a strong, robustdemocracy movement.

Watch the video here.

"Without this movement for democracy that will unite us all, our individualfights just can't be realized," he said.

He added, "The democracy movement is necessary if we are going to moveforward toward economic justice."

Cohen laid out why our seemingly disparate fights are really one battle.

"It's not just the rights of an individual to vote," he said. "It's not just the rightsof an immigrant. It's about what kind of democracy we have when $7 billion isspent in the last federal election alone, more than in any other country in theworld.

More than 40 years ago, a memo was drafted by Lewis Powell Jr., before heserved on the U.S. Supreme Court, for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,laying out a corporate strategy to aggressively shape U.S. politics and law.Since then, the business community has worked to take over the mostimportant institutions of public opinion and democratic decision-making,Cohen said.

Barber: Why We Need a Moral Movement

Rev. William Barber called for a "moral movement" across America to defendour democracy from extremist state legislatures.

Watch the video here.

"What is bad is not what they are doing. What would be bad is for us not tofight back," said Barber, who is also the president of the NAACP in NorthCarolina. "That's what would be bad!"

One year ago, Barber led a small group of clergy and activists into NorthCarolina's state legislative building to protest GOP lawmakers' attacks onvoting rights, blocking Medicaid expansion, cutting unemployment benefitsand shrinking higher-education spending. The police led him away inhandcuffs.

But then something incredible happened: The next Monday, more than 100people showed up at the capitol for a non-violent demonstration. Thefollowing Monday, even more rallied to the cause. Soon thousands of peoplewere attending "Moral Monday" protests in Raleigh, but also in Florida, SouthCarolina, Georgia and Alabama. Barber's recent Moral March on Raleigh inFebruary attracted a crowd of at least 80,000 people.

Today the attacks on the poor, immigrants, LGBT communities and civil rightsare "lewd, mean-spirited and fundamentally contrary to what our democracyis supposed to be," said Barber.

"We are at a time when corporations are treated like people and people aretreated like things," he said.

Barber told CWAers that Martin Luther King Jr. and the great leaders of thelabor movement aren't going to rise up from the dead, so it's up to everydaycitizens to get involved. Moral Monday protests will start up again on May 19and continue through the North Carolina General Assembly's legislativesession. This summer Barber will also be coordinating an event in 11Southern states where Republican agendas are hurting the poor and workingclass.

"When anybody challenges our deepest moral principles and our deepestdemocratic principles – you and I were born for such a time as this. And wemust fight back now!" he said.

Rev. Barber will participate in CWA's Human Rights Conference June 8-10.

Brown: 'You Make This Country Better'

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) encouraged activists to tell the personal storiesof their families, friends and neighbors when they lobby members ofCongress. Stories, like that of TU activist Blake Poindexter, who lost his jobwhen T-Mobile offshored several call centers, illuminate why we need billsthat protect workers and grow the middle class.

Watch the video here.

"Tell them why this matters," he said. "The labor movement has been at theforefront of so many fights. You advocate, you organize, you educate. Yourally people. You make this country better."

This is critical as GOP lawmakers seek to undermine so many of the rightsworkers have fought for over the decades. "The far right sees thedemographics of this country changing, so the only way they can win ischanging the rules," he said.

Worker advocacy is particularly important when it comes to trade. Brownnoted that we were told that passing NAFTA would create lots of jobs – but itdidn't. Congress was told that same line when it negotiated CAFTA andpassed fast-track authority to speed trade agreements through Congress withlittle debate. But those all failed to live up to their job creation promises.

"They don't even bother saying that anymore because the country doesn'tbelieve it," said Brown, who has been calling for more transparency in theTrans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.

He added, "That's why your work is so important. That's where you come in –to protect jobs, to project the public interest, to protect health and safety."

Pelosi: 'We Need Transparency'

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi was greeted with shouts of "bestSpeaker ever," a reminder of the hundreds of pieces of legislation supportingworking families that she was able to steer through the House ofRepresentatives during her years as Speaker.

Watch the video here.

"You couldn't be coming at a more critical time. And I thank you for theadvocacy that you bring to Washington," she said. "It's so very important. Wecan maneuver all we can internally, but the outside mobilization that yourepresent is what makes a difference."

To the White House, Republican lawmakers and our potential trade partners– all of whom are pushing to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership, asweeping trade deal with a dozen Pacific Rim countries, and fast-trackauthority – the message is simple. "We need transparency," she said.

We all must be able to read and analyze the negotiating texts so that we cankeep our eye on our own economic prosperity, as the United Statesnegotiates trade deals in Asia and Europe, she said. Congress needs moreinput and a seat at the table so that it can improve trade deals for theAmerican people.

"We must create jobs. We must have growth. And we want to do it in a waythat recognizes our role in the world," she said. "We're not protectionists. Wewant to be fair traders. But we're not fools."

Pelosi added, "Let's do what other countries do. When they enter anagreement for trade they do so protecting their workers."

Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and many of their fellow

Democrats have made it clear that they oppose fast tracking this trade bill.

"I'm here to give you our commitment that we understand that this is a fightfor our country. For our democracy. For the middle class that is the backboneof our country," she said.

De Blasio: 'Thank You For Standing Up'

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) credited CWA activists for helpingpave a new progressive path for the city.

Watch the video here.

"CWA stood up and was actually one of the crucial elements in creating themomentum that not only allowed us to win city hall, but then be able toimplement the agenda," he said. "When labor demands fairness and helpselect progressives and builds bonds with community organizations, we havelimitless potential."

De Blasio has been a steadfast CWA ally. As the city's public advocate, hetook on Cablevision for union-busting and stood with the 22 technicians whowere unjustly fired. Cablevision rehired the technicians after a successful

community support campaign.

"When I stood with Cablevision workers in Brooklyn fighting to organize, thatwas to get more people to the middle class," he said. "That was the patrioticthing to do."

"When I stand by Verizon workers, who seem to be constantly asked to giveup their hard won gains, I say to the public, I say to Verizon, I say to anyonewho wants to ask, 'Why on earth would we want to take some workers whoactually reached the middle class and make them insecure?'" he said.

"Thank you for standing up. Thank you for building coalitions. Thank you fororganizing – the most noble profession. It's my honor to stand by you, and Ihope we in New York can continue to be something of a good example forthe victories ahead," he said.

Val Givens and Blake Poindexter

Val Givens, CWA Local 6222, is a District steward and a member of CWA'sAT&T Internet bargaining team. She said the recent negotiations showed herfirsthand "the connection between the wages that we can negotiate and thesetrade deals."

Watch the video here.

Blake Poindexter was in the highest level of customer support at the T-MobileUS tech support center in Frisco, Tex., until one day, "management called usin and told us we were out of a job. Just like that."

Watch the video here.

Panels

Joint Partner Campaigns

Herb Keener, CWA Local 6215; Hal Suter, Lone Star Sierra Club; MonaMeyer, CWA Minnesota State Council; Terin Mayer, Take Action Minnesota,and George Kohl, CWA, talked about how they came to work together onissues like equality, voting rights and fair trade.

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Beating Fast Track and TPP

Hugh Espey, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement; Steve Abbott, CWAIowa Council; Joe Mayhew, CWA Local 1103; Kian Frederickson, PublicCitizen, and Rafael Navar, CWA, discussed how their community coalitionsare a big part of the fight against fast track.

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2013 Elections

Richard Hatch, CWA Virginia Council; Doris Crouse-Mays, Virginia AFL-CIO;Steven Goldstein; Garden State Equality; Hetty Rosenstein, CWA NewJersey, and Yvette Herrera, CWA, reviewed their joint CWA partner 2013election work and looked ahead to 2014.

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What's Wrong with TPP, Investor and State Ally Issue

Scott Slesinger, Natural Resources Defense Council; Elizabeth Drake, tradeattorney; Brett Gibson, AFL-CIO, and Shane Larson, CWA, explore how theTPP has been written by and for investors, and what we can do to stop it.

CWA: There's An App For That

Four years ago, CWA was the first union, and one of the first progressiveorganizations, to create an app. And now, thanks to CWA's Growth Fund,we've taken that app to a new level, using the latest technologies available onthe iPhone and Android devices. Not only does the app allow you to connectin real time to events and information that you care about, but, as CWAersand progressive partners who downloaded the app at the Legislative-Politicaland Movement Building Conference discovered, you can use the app toshare photos. Check out some of the great moments they captured here.

Get ready to check out more photos once you download the app. To get theapp, text APP to 69866 from your phone to get the links to download it orsearch for CWA in the App Store or on Google Play or click here. Once youdownload the app, set up your profile in order to RSVP to and check in atevents.

Stay Tuned for More Video

CWA's Communications Dept. will have additional video available from theconference. It will be posted at youtube.com/cwaunion. So stay tuned.

Facing Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Our Movement

Today, a panel including Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service

Employees International Union; Bob King, UAW President; and CWAPresidents Ken McNamara, Local 1037; Irene Roblis, Local 7019, and AbdurBilal, Local 3645, discussed the challenges workers and activists face inpushing for economic and social justice, with participants and CWA PresidentLarry Cohen and Sec.-Treas. Annie Hill.

T-Mobile Settles NLRB Complaint

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A settlement was reached this week between the National Labor RelationsBoard, T-Mobile US, CWA and two T-Mobile workers from Wichita, Kans. –Josh Coleman and Ellen Brackeen.

The agreement vindicates Josh and Ellen, who endured an illegal firing(Josh) and unfair discipline (Ellen), all because they wanted a union voice.

The settlement is not full justice, but it is a solid step forward for workersbattling anti-worker giants like T-Mobile and other companies that attackworkers' rights.

T-Mobile agreed to a pay settlement for Josh, the first time the company hasever agreed to pay back wages or the equivalent. T-Mobile agreed in writingthat its earlier discipline of Ellen will not be used against her in any way. Ellenwill continue to lead CWA's organizing work at the Wichita call center, nowwithout the constant fear that her family is at risk. Josh remains a committedTU activist who will continue to work for union representation for T-Mobileworkers.

A top performer at the Wichita call center, Josh was disciplined and fired in2013 after he engaged in visible union activity. An NLRB complaint wasissued over this illegal action, as well as for the company's violation of Josh'srights when its managers destroyed his organizing notes.

Ellen was disciplined after she attended (on her own time) the final meeting ofshareholders of MetroPCS before that company merged with T-Mobile.

Why the settlement now? The NLRB has looked at T-Mobile management'sbehavior in Wichita and found strong similarities to management tactics inother T-Mobile US operations. (See next story.)

NLRB Moves Forward on Consolidated Complaints Against T-Mobile US

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Why did T-Mobile management agree to a settlement of unfair labor practicecomplaints in Wichita?

Probably because the decision by the National Labor Relations Boardgeneral counsel to consolidate recent unfair labor practice complaints broughtagainst T-Mobile US is going forward, and T-Mobile US knows that there isclear evidence, especially through the company's "third party activity reports,"that its anti-worker campaigns are directed by and orchestrated by topmanagement at headquarters in Bellevue, Wash.

The telecommunications company has been cited for its relentless andescalating attempts over the past 10 years to stop workers from obtainingunion representation.

The next NLRB hearing is taking place in Albuquerque, NM, where at leasttwo T-Mobile US workers were illegally disciplined after being identified asunion activists and supporters; both were fired after they made their supportpublic.

The activists were organizing in an environment just as, or maybe more,hostile than Wichita, since the New Mexico supervisors more openlythreatened workers. The NLRB also will prosecute its claims that thecompany's handbook and other policies used nationwide violate federal laborlaw because of their intimidating effect on workers who want a union.

Over the past decade, NLRB complaints were repeatedly issued against T-Mobile in different regional offices. The decision to consolidate a group ofcurrent unfair labor practice complaints challenging the company'sdisciplinary actions targeting union activists and its overly broad companyrules and policies into one national case is an important step by the NLRB.The company will need to defend its systemic anti-union behavior in oneproceeding where the board can order broad relief for employees at every T-Mobile location.

The decision requires one hearing officer to hear all complaints, witnessesand evidence regarding T-Mobile's efforts to block workers from voting forunion representation.

The general counsel's decision was affirmed by an administrative law judge.

The NLRB is responding to the history of broken promises by T-Mobile whenit comes to following U.S. labor law. Consolidation will allow the NLRB toissue more effective remedies to finally stop T-Mobile's outrageous conduct.

Labor Rights Forum Honors Defenders

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CWA Senior Director Yvette Herrera, center, accepts the ILRF award forCWA.

CWA was honored as an International Labor Rights Defender for itstransnational organizing that has taken on the forces of globalization and hasbuilt alliances with unions and worker organizations in the fight for economicjustice.

Highlighted was CWA's work with STRM, the independent and democratictelecom workers union in Mexico, our work with Brazilian finance unions tosupport bank workers, and our alliance with the German union ver.di that isworking for a voice for T-Mobile US.

Also honored was Rep. George Miller (D-Cal.), a leading advocate inCongress on international labor and human rights, for speaking out on theviolence and abuses faced by women garment workers and those inBangladesh, and the Maquila Worker Organizing Project that is buildingrespect for workers' rights in Honduras.

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