This article is about the labor union in the United States. For other uses, see Communication Workers Union.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States, representing about 700,000 members in both the private and public sectors (also in Canada and Puerto Rico).[1][2] The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada (French: Syndicat des communications d'Amérique) representing about 8,000 members. CWA has several affiliated subsidiary labor unions bringing total membership to over 700,000. CWA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and affiliated with the AFL–CIO, the Strategic Organizing Center[3] the Canadian Labour Congress, and UNI Global Union. The current president is Chris Shelton.
In 1918 telephone operators organized under the Telephone Operators Department of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. While initially successful at organizing, the union was damaged by a 1923 strike and subsequent AT&T lockout. After AT&T installed company-controlled Employees' Committees, the Telephone Operators Department eventually disbanded.[4] The CWA's roots lie in the 1938 reorganization of telephone workers into the National Federation of Telephone Workers after the Wagner Act outlawed such employees' committees or "company unions". NFTW was a federation of sovereign local independent unions that lacked authority over the affiliated local unions leaving it at a serious organizational disadvantage. After losing a strike with AT&T in 1947, the federation led by Joseph A. Beirne,[5] reorganized as CWA, a truly national union, which affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1949.
Last contract with the Bell System before its breakup. Bell System sought givebacks. The contract resulted in Wage increases, employment security, pension, and health improvements.
1986
AT&T
175,000
25 days
COLA clause suspended in contract - former Bell System contracts vary substantially from the AT&T contract.
1989
AT&T
175,000
n/a
Child and elder care benefits added to contract. COLA clause removed from contract
Verizon strike of 2000: Strike was due to mandatory overtime demands. Provisions for stress were won.
2011
Verizon
45,000
13 days
Strike was due to major wage and health care cuts by Verizon, a forced pay-for-performance plan and movement-of-work job security provisions. Contract extended.
2012
AT&T
20,000
2 Days
AT&T West; California, Nevada, and AT&T East; Connecticut - Unfair labor practice strike during contract negotiations.[13]
2016
Verizon
40,000
49 Days
Verizon strike of 2016: Issues include healthcare and pension costs, moving call center jobs overseas and temporary job relocations.[14] Call center jobs were returned to the bargaining unit; pension increases won; healthcare reimbursement added and first Verizon Wireless contract reached.[15]
According to CWA's Department of Labor records since 2006, when membership classifications were first reported, the total reported membership has varied greatly and unpredictably due to the addition and removal of reported membership categories.[17] As of 2014, around 27%, or a fourth, of the union's total membership are classified as "non-dues-paying retirees", and not eligible to vote in the union. The other, voting eligible, classifications are "active" (65%) and "dues-paying retired" (8%). CWA contracts also cover some non-members, known as agency fee payers, which number comparatively about 7% of the size of the union's membership. This accounts for 166,491 "non-dues-paying retirees" and 52,240 "dues-paying retirees", plus about 43,353 non-members paying agency fees, compared to 404,289 "active" members.[1]
National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) represents over 10,000 workers employed in the broadcasting, distributing, telecasting, recording, cable, video, sound recording and related industries. Established in 1934, it affiliated with the CWA in 1994.[20]
CWA Public, Healthcare and Education Workers represents more than 140,000 workers including social workers, educators, and health care providers, including state workers across New Jersey.[21]
University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE-CWA) represents over 16,000 clinical lab technicians, computer resource specialists, editors, lab assistants, museum scientists, social workers, staff research associates, student affairs officers, and writers at all campuses and medical centers of the University of California. Established in 1990, it affiliated with the CWA in 1993.[23]
Bahr, Morton. From the Telegraph to the Internet: A 60 Year History of the CWA. Washington, D.C.: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1998. ISBN1-56649-949-6
Palladino, Grace. Dreams of Dignity, Workers of Vision: A History of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Washington, D.C.: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 1991.
Schacht, John N. The Making of Telephone Unionism, 1920–1947. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1985. ISBN0-8135-1136-4
^Norwood, S: Labor's Flaming Youth, page 302. University of Illinois Press, 1990.
^"U.S. Department of Labor - Labor Hall of Honor - Joseph A. Beirne". Labor Hall of Honor. United States Department of Labor. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
^"Major union launches campaign to organize video game and tech workers". Los Angeles Times. 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2021-11-11. But despite this swell in labor activism, employees at no major video game studios and only a handful of tech offices have formally voted to form or join a union.
^ abAshack, Elizabeth A. (2008). "Major Union Mergers, Alliances, and Disaffiliations, 1995-2007". Monthly Labor Review. ISSN 0098-1818.
^McKercher, Catherine (2000). From newspaper guild to multimedia union : a study in labour convergence (phd thesis). Concordia University.
^Mosco, Vincent, and Catherine McKercher. "Convergence Bites Back: Labour Struggles in the Canadian Communication Industry." Canadian Journal of Communication 31.3 (2006).
^Cain, Timothy Reese (2017-09-11). Campus Unions: Organized Faculty and Graduate Students in U.S. Higher Education, ASHE Higher Education Report. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN978-1-119-45343-7.
^Stratton, Kay (1989-03-01). "Union democracy in the international typographical union: Thirty years later". Journal of Labor Research. 10 (1): 119–134. doi:10.1007/BF02685521. ISSN 1936-4768. S2CID 153930391.
^""Other than having a baby, it's the most optimistic thing you can do"". The New Rank and File. Cornell University Press. 2018-08-06. pp. 230–242. doi:10.7591/9781501728341-025. ISBN978-1-5017-2834-1. S2CID 243310849.
communications, workers, america, this, article, about, labor, union, united, states, other, uses, communication, workers, union, largest, communications, media, labor, union, united, states, representing, about, members, both, private, public, sectors, also, . This article is about the labor union in the United States For other uses see Communication Workers Union The Communications Workers of America CWA is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 700 000 members in both the private and public sectors also in Canada and Puerto Rico 1 2 The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA SCA Canada French Syndicat des communications d Amerique representing about 8 000 members CWA has several affiliated subsidiary labor unions bringing total membership to over 700 000 CWA is headquartered in Washington D C and affiliated with the AFL CIO the Strategic Organizing Center 3 the Canadian Labour Congress and UNI Global Union The current president is Chris Shelton CWACommunications Workers of AmericaFounded1947 1947 HeadquartersWashington D C LocationUnited States CanadaMembers456 529 active and dues paying retired members 166 491 non dues paying retired members 2014 1 PresidentChris SheltonKey peopleChris Shelton president Sara Steffens secretary treasurerAffiliationsAFL CIO CLC SOCWebsitecwa union wbr org Contents 1 History 1 1 Contracts and strikes 2 Composition 2 1 Membership 2 2 Affiliates 3 Leadership 3 1 Presidents 3 2 Secretary Treasurers 4 Further reading 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditIn 1918 telephone operators organized under the Telephone Operators Department of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers While initially successful at organizing the union was damaged by a 1923 strike and subsequent AT amp T lockout After AT amp T installed company controlled Employees Committees the Telephone Operators Department eventually disbanded 4 The CWA s roots lie in the 1938 reorganization of telephone workers into the National Federation of Telephone Workers after the Wagner Act outlawed such employees committees or company unions NFTW was a federation of sovereign local independent unions that lacked authority over the affiliated local unions leaving it at a serious organizational disadvantage After losing a strike with AT amp T in 1947 the federation led by Joseph A Beirne 5 reorganized as CWA a truly national union which affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1949 CWA has continued to expand into areas beyond traditional telephone service In 1994 the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians merged with the CWA and became The Broadcasting and Cable Television Workers Sector of the CWA NABET CWA Since 1997 it includes The Newspaper Guild now renamed The NewsGuild CWA In 2004 the Association of Flight Attendants merged with CWA and became formally known as the Association of Flight Attendants CWA or AFA CWA In 2020 CWA launched the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees CODE CWA initiative to unionize tech video game and digital workers which has led to CWA becoming a major union for US and Canada tech worker organizing 6 7 2 including organizing all non management workers at the Hawaiʻi digital wireless carrier Mobi in 2022 8 Contracts and strikes Edit Following is a partial list of contracts and strikes that the Communications Workers of America were involved in 9 10 11 An inflatable rat used by the CWA during a 2009 rally against Verizon Verizon members protesting at Occupy Wall Street in October 2011 Year Company Number of Members Affected Duration of Strike Notes1955 Southern Bell Telephone Co 50 000 72 days Strike was in answer to management s effort to prohibit workers from striking 1968 AT amp T 200 000 18 days Wage increases to compensate for cost of living and medical benefits won1971 Bell System 400 000 9 months Cost of Living Adjustment COLA won for workers1983 Bell System 600 000 22 days Last contract with the Bell System before its breakup Bell System sought givebacks The contract resulted in Wage increases employment security pension and health improvements 1986 AT amp T 175 000 25 days COLA clause suspended in contract former Bell System contracts vary substantially from the AT amp T contract 1989 AT amp T 175 000 n a Child and elder care benefits added to contract COLA clause removed from contract1989 NYNEX 175 000 17 weeks Strike was due to major health care cuts by NYNEX1998 US West 34 000 15 days Strike was due to mandatory overtime demands and forced pay for performance plan Overtime caps were won 12 2000 Verizon 80 000 18 days Verizon strike of 2000 Strike was due to mandatory overtime demands Provisions for stress were won 2011 Verizon 45 000 13 days Strike was due to major wage and health care cuts by Verizon a forced pay for performance plan and movement of work job security provisions Contract extended 2012 AT amp T 20 000 2 Days AT amp T West California Nevada and AT amp T East Connecticut Unfair labor practice strike during contract negotiations 13 2016 Verizon 40 000 49 Days Verizon strike of 2016 Issues include healthcare and pension costs moving call center jobs overseas and temporary job relocations 14 Call center jobs were returned to the bargaining unit pension increases won healthcare reimbursement added and first Verizon Wireless contract reached 15 2019 AT amp T 20 000 5 days 2019 AT amp T strike AT amp T Southeast Unfair labor practice strike during contract negotiations 16 Composition EditMembership Edit Total membership US records 17 Finances US records 1000 17 Assets Liabilities Receipts Disbursements According to CWA s Department of Labor records since 2006 when membership classifications were first reported the total reported membership has varied greatly and unpredictably due to the addition and removal of reported membership categories 17 As of 2014 around 27 or a fourth of the union s total membership are classified as non dues paying retirees and not eligible to vote in the union The other voting eligible classifications are active 65 and dues paying retired 8 CWA contracts also cover some non members known as agency fee payers which number comparatively about 7 of the size of the union s membership This accounts for 166 491 non dues paying retirees and 52 240 dues paying retirees plus about 43 353 non members paying agency fees compared to 404 289 active members 1 Affiliates Edit Association of Flight Attendants AFA CWA represents over 55 000 flight attendants at 22 airlines Established in 1945 it affiliated with the CWA in 2004 18 CODE CWA Campaign to Organize Digital Employees International Union of Electronic Electrical Salaried Machine and Furniture Workers IUE CWA represents over 45 000 manufacturing and industrial workers and affiliated with CWA in 2000 18 The NewsGuild TNG CWA represents over 26 000 journalists and media workers at wire services newspapers magazines and broadcast news Established in 1933 it affiliated with the CWA in 1995 19 National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians NABET CWA represents over 10 000 workers employed in the broadcasting distributing telecasting recording cable video sound recording and related industries Established in 1934 it affiliated with the CWA in 1994 20 CWA Public Healthcare and Education Workers represents more than 140 000 workers including social workers educators and health care providers including state workers across New Jersey 21 Printing Publishing and Media Workers Sector PPMWS CWA was formed from the merger of the International Typographical Union printers 22 PPMWS CWA represents over 8 000 workers in a diverse range of occupations in daily newspapers commercial printing and mailing operations and graphic design University Professional and Technical Employees UPTE CWA represents over 16 000 clinical lab technicians computer resource specialists editors lab assistants museum scientists social workers staff research associates student affairs officers and writers at all campuses and medical centers of the University of California Established in 1990 it affiliated with the CWA in 1993 23 Leadership EditPresidents Edit 1947 Joseph A Beirne 1974 Glenn Watts 1985 Morton Bahr 2005 Larry Cohen 2015 Chris SheltonSecretary Treasurers Edit 1947 Carlton W Werkau c 1955 William A Smallwood 1969 Glenn Watts 1974 Louis Knecht c 1980 James E Booe 1992 Barbara Easterling 2008 Jeff Rechenbach 2015 Sara SteffensFurther reading EditBahr Morton From the Telegraph to the Internet A 60 Year History of the CWA Washington D C Welcome Rain Publishers 1998 ISBN 1 56649 949 6 Palladino Grace Dreams of Dignity Workers of Vision A History of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Washington D C International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 1991 Schacht John N The Making of Telephone Unionism 1920 1947 New Brunswick N J Rutgers University Press 1985 ISBN 0 8135 1136 4References Edit a b c US Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards File number 000 188 Report submitted August 29 2014 a b Campaign to Organize Digital Employees CODE CWA Organizing Campaigns 2019 11 25 Retrieved 2021 11 11 About Strategic Organizing Center Retrieved 2021 11 03 Norwood S Labor s Flaming Youth page 302 University of Illinois Press 1990 U S Department of Labor Labor Hall of Honor Joseph A Beirne Labor Hall of Honor United States Department of Labor Archived from the original on 17 February 2013 Retrieved 26 December 2012 Major union launches campaign to organize video game and tech workers Los Angeles Times 2020 01 07 Retrieved 2021 11 11 But despite this swell in labor activism employees at no major video game studios and only a handful of tech offices have formally voted to form or join a union Campaigns Organizing Campaigns 2021 08 27 Retrieved 2021 11 11 Local telecommunications company Mobi unionizes with support of CEO hawaiipublicradio org Communications Workers of America Timeline Accessed March 24 2010 CWA Local 3805 Timeline Accessed March 24 2010 U S Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Labor Review January 1990 Accessed March 24 2010 Tentative Agreement Is Reached In Strike by U S West Workers The New York Times 31 August 1998 Retrieved 26 December 2012 Svensson Peter 8 August 2012 AT amp T workers in 3 states launch short strike Boston Globe Retrieved 26 December 2012 Nayak Malathi 13 April 2016 About 40 000 unionized Verizon workers walk off the job Reuters Retrieved 26 December 2012 Big Gains for Striking Verizon Workers in New Agreement Communications Workers of America 2016 05 29 Retrieved 2016 11 27 CWA AT amp T Southeast Bargaining Report 46 2019 08 25 a b c US Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards File number 000 188 Search a b Ashack Elizabeth A 2008 Major Union Mergers Alliances and Disaffiliations 1995 2007 Monthly Labor Review ISSN 0098 1818 McKercher Catherine 2000 From newspaper guild to multimedia union a study in labour convergence phd thesis Concordia University Mosco Vincent and Catherine McKercher Convergence Bites Back Labour Struggles in the Canadian Communication Industry Canadian Journal of Communication 31 3 2006 Cain Timothy Reese 2017 09 11 Campus Unions Organized Faculty and Graduate Students in U S Higher Education ASHE Higher Education Report John Wiley amp Sons ISBN 978 1 119 45343 7 Stratton Kay 1989 03 01 Union democracy in the international typographical union Thirty years later Journal of Labor Research 10 1 119 134 doi 10 1007 BF02685521 ISSN 1936 4768 S2CID 153930391 Other than having a baby it s the most optimistic thing you can do The New Rank and File Cornell University Press 2018 08 06 pp 230 242 doi 10 7591 9781501728341 025 ISBN 978 1 5017 2834 1 S2CID 243310849 External links Edit Organized labour portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Communications Workers of America Official website Communications Workers of America Syndicat des communications d Amerique CWA Timeline Communications Workers of America Syndicat des communications d Amerique Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries IUE CWA International Union of Electronic Electrical Salaried Machine and Furniture Workers Communications Workers of America Photograph Collection finding aid at University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Special Collections via Texas Archival Resources Online TARO Communications Workers of America Records Tamiment Library amp Robert F Wagner Labor Archives New York University Communications Workers of America Audio Tape Inventory Tamiment Library amp Robert F Wagner Labor Archives New York University Communications Workers of America Records Addendum Tamiment Library amp Robert F Wagner Labor Archives New York University Communications Workers of America Photographs and Videos Tamiment Library amp Robert F Wagner Labor Archives New York University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Communications Workers of America amp oldid 1114366508, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
