Telecommunications and Technology Sector Hosts Leadership Conference

Earlier this month, members of CWA’s Telecommunications and Technologies (T&T) sector met in San Antonio, Texas, for networking, education, and to celebrate collective victories for T&T workers. The theme of the conference was “Facing the Future Together.”

Telecommunications and Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton and her staff organized the conference with bargaining unit meetings, vendors, and workshops. Guests attending the conference included CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam, CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos, CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister, CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce, Western Region At-Large Executive Board Member Keith Gibbs, and CWA General Counsel Matt Holder.

CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase, T&T Assistant to the Vice President Tony Shaffer, and CWA Local 6143 Executive Vice President Danny DeOsio welcomed members, retirees, and guests to the conference.

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. gave the keynote address, thanking members for their tireless efforts both on the job and within the union. He highlighted T&T bargaining wins with companies, including the International Real Estate Partners, Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis, and Tucker Communications, as well as the work of the National Mobilization Committee in bringing CWA members together in solidarity and mutual support. Cummings also applauded T&T’s staff for providing essential support for districts and locals, sharing information, and coordinating strategy as they bargain independent telecom contracts.

President Cummings stressed the importance of unity as we move into this new political environment, saying, “Regardless of what the next few years hold, we will make it through so long as we stand united. We must remember this: the enemy is not in the room. Our strength is in our unity, and we must continue to lift each other up, break down barriers between us, and fight injustice wherever we find it. We are all we have, but in this union, I believe we have all the people, knowledge, and drive to not just survive but to thrive, no matter what the future holds.”

Telecommunications and Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton reiterated the conference theme, saying, “With Trump coming back to the White House, now more than ever, we must all Face the Future TOGETHER!” Part of her work is focused directly on the future through CWA’s Next Gen program, empowering young CWA members to contribute their knowledge and energy in CWA’s fight for economic and social justice.

Conference attendees also heard from Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam and CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia Ramos, who made presentations on the financial outlook for the union and on CWA’s response to, and recommendations for, the use of artificial intelligence, respectively.

Conference attendees had the opportunity to educate themselves on a number of topics through a slate of workshops, including “Advanced Grievance & Arbitration,” “Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services,” and “Human Rights Gender Justice.”

 
Members of CWA’s Telecommunications and Technology (T&T) sector traveled to San Antonio, Texas for the T&T Annual Leadership Conference. Members heard from several CWA officials including CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam, and Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos. T&T Vice President Lisa Bolton hosted the conference.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.