Bargaining Update

AT&T Mobility and DirecTV (Orange)

This Tax Day, April 18, CWA members at AT&T Mobility sounded the alarm on AT&T’s corporate tax avoidance on social media as part of their mobilization to win a new contract. Since Congress slashed the corporate tax rate in December 2017, AT&T has saved $32 billion in taxes. Instead of creating good union jobs, as the company promised to do, it has cut more than 83,000 jobs. The AT&T Mobility and DirecTV Orange bargaining teams are continuing negotiations for fair contracts. While the company and the union remain far apart on many issues, continued progress is being made at the bargaining table, mainly due to the constant pressure from members who are actively mobilizing and making sure the company hears their demands loud and clear.

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Middlesex County Board of Social Services

In a groundbreaking victory, nearly 260 workers at Middlesex County Board of Social Services in New Jersey (CWA Local 1032) unanimously ratified a new contract after a hard fought contract campaign.

The workers at the agency are responsible for distributing critical aid to residents such as SNAP, healthcare coverage via Medicaid, and cash assistance to help cover rent. Despite delivering such critical services, the workers have been working without a contract since June 2020, and faced several health and safety issues throughout the pandemic.

Frustrated by the lack of action by management to address these concerns and negotiate a fair contract, the workers launched an aggressive contract campaign. The campaign began with a petition drive that over 90 percent of the workers signed and included actions such as lunchtime rallies, a boycott of overtime that lasted six weeks, gathering support for a strike authorization vote, and more. Their continued determination led to a contract victory that includes significant wage increases, with many workers receiving raises of over 30 percent during the course of the new four-year contract.

Workers at Middlesex County Board of Social Services in New Jersey (CWA Local 1032) mobilized to win a fair contract.

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New Flyer

On Monday, CWA Local 7304 members who work at the New Flyer bus manufacturing facility in St. Cloud, Minn., held a rally outside the facility to demand a fair contract. The workers are fighting for a new contract that includes better pay, paid sick leave, paid time off for religious holidays, an end to mandatory overtime, and more. The rally follows a strike authorization vote that was approved almost unanimously by the membership earlier this month. The workers were joined by members of several other unions and organizations including the Regional Labor Federation, Take Action Minnesota, and Indivisible. Democratic State Senator Aric Putnam and two candidates for the Minnesota House were also there to offer the workers their support.

“It’s about time we get adequate paid time off so we can spend time with our families and wage increases that make us competitive with similar jobs in the area,” said Bob Coplien, a bargaining committee member. “The company might be willing to start addressing recruitment with starting wages, but they’re offering almost nothing for the rest of us. Retention is another huge problem. The membership voted at the beginning of the month to authorize a strike with over 97% of the vote and are clearly starting to lose patience.”

Workers at the New Flyer bus manufacturing facility in St. Cloud, Minn., members of CWA Local 7304, held a rally for a fair contract.