Bargaining Update

Northstar Aerospace

Today, workers at Northstar Aerospace, members of IUE-CWA Local 14430, ratified a new collective bargaining agreement after striking for almost two months. The new four-year contract includes an 18 percent wage increase over the life of the agreement, no change in medical cost premium shares, and improvements to safety and benefits, including vacation and short-term disability. In addition, the workers successfully fought back against the company’s attempt to adversely change the attendance policy. The workers demonstrated their dedication to achieving equitable treatment and compensation by engaging in an incredible mobilization effort throughout the negotiations and the strike by holding regular pickets, mass rallies, and demonstrations and garnering support from other union members and community allies. The workers, who are part of a vital component of Apache and Chinook helicopter parts production, went on strike in response to the company’s deceptive bargaining tactics, which led to the union filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

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American Airlines

In a recent discussion between passenger service agents’ bargaining teams and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, he committed to reaching an agreement with our union that is competitive in the industry and not concessionary. Members of the CWA-IBT Association across the country are mobilizing to hold the company to that commitment. 

During the latest bargaining session, the bargaining committee and the company exchanged proposals and made progress on several articles. However, the bargaining committee is still waiting for the company’s response on a proposal from October that covers job security and is absolutely necessary to reach an agreement before moving on to the next phase of bargaining.

Apart from contract bargaining, the passenger service agents are fighting for additional improvements, including changes in the uniform policy to allow for tattoos and piercings, as well as improvements to the attendance policy. Additional updates can be found at Facebook.com/AmericanAgentsConnected.

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International Documentary Association

Last Friday, members of Documentary Workers United (CWA Local 9003) at the International Documentary Association, a nonprofit that provides grants to nonfiction filmmakers and advocates for the documentary community, unanimously voted to ratify their first union contract. The contract includes an average 20-30 percent wage increase, with a baseline minimum of $30/hr, a guaranteed annual rate increase, differential pay for additional labor, and a comprehensive reproductive health policy. The workers credited their victory to the continued commitment of the members who defied the odds and, despite multiple challenges, stayed united.

The structural and legal protections included in the new union contract will allow the members to continue to do the work they love without fear of retaliation or exploitation and ensure they have a seat at the decision-making table. In a statement announcing the ratification, the members expressed their solidarity with the striking SAG-AFTRA and WGA members in their fight for a fair contract. “We implore film institutions across the board to take note. Now is the time to make our field a place that champions its laborers. The world is watching. Our collective fight is only beginning.” Read more here.