Organizing Update

Maximus

Over 450 workers at Maximus, a multi-billion dollar corporation and the largest federal call center contractor, went on strike on Tuesday, the first day of Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment, demanding higher wages and better working conditions. The workers, who answer calls for 1-800-Medicare and assist American consumers with ACA plans, have been organizing with CWA to win improvements in their workplace. The striking workers in Bogalusa, La.; Hattiesburg, Miss.; and Chester, Va., are calling for a minimum wage of $25 an hour, at least 30 minutes per shift of non-call time, and policies protecting them from abusive calls.

“We are being asked to go above and beyond during open enrollment, but our wages are not sufficient to support families with rising costs,” said Audrianna Lewis, who answers calls out of the Hattiesburg call center. “Addressing these problems will not only help us to do our jobs better, it will benefit the consumers we serve and ensure that all Americans seeking health care coverage get the quality support they deserve.”

In conjunction with the strike, Maximus workers across the country hosted a virtual town hall to discuss the impacts of Maximus’ policies and practices on its workforce and steps the company must take to ensure justice and fairness for its employees. Starbucks and Apple employees, who have successfully won union victories across the country amidst their own organizing efforts, joined the virtual town hall in a show of solidarity for the Maximus workers. Representative Ro Khanna, National President of the NAACP Derrick Johnson, and Charles Taylor, Executive Director of the Mississippi NAACP, also joined the town hall and spoke to the workers. In addition, prominent civil rights leader Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, joined the striking workers in Hattiesburg and encouraged them to keep fighting. The workers were also joined by CWA members, other workers, local elected officials, allies from community organizations like Step Up Louisiana, and other supporters.

Earlier this month, CWA filed a series of unfair labor practice charges on behalf of workers at Maximus, alleging that the company unlawfully interfered with the right of employees to engage in protected union activities.

Check out this video featuring the striking workers at Maximus.

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Noble Knight Games

A super majority of workers at Noble Knight Games, an online retailer of tabletop games, are seeking voluntary recognition and have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board, in case the company fails to recognize their union. The workers, who are employed at the company’s warehouse and storefront in Fitchburg, Wis., are organizing to join CWA, following in the footsteps of other game industry workers who have recently joined our union, including Raven Software and Paizo Publishing. The workers are fighting for improved compensation, affordable benefits, a healthy work-life balance, fair and transparent policies and procedures, and maintaining appropriate, viable workplace conditions and expectations.

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University of New Orleans

United Campus Worker (UCW)-CWA members and organizers held a three-day organizing blitz at the University of New Orleans (UNO). CWA Public, Healthcare and Education Sector Vice President Margaret Cook joined campaign organizers and members from UCW-Louisiana (CWA Local 3465) and UCW-Virginia (CWA Local 2265) for the event . Over the three days, they had more than a hundred conversations, recruited 13 new members, and identified dozens of leads.

Author Sara Jaffe kicked off the blitz with a talk about her recent book, Work Won't Love You Back, in partnership with Step Up Louisiana, a community-based organization committed to building power to win education and economic justice for all. Cook emceed the event and took part in a tour of the campus led by members to see many of the problems that workers are dealing with. "Building our movement and talking to every worker about what they need, what their concerns are, and getting them to see that by joining together in a union they'll have a voice is what we're all about. It's the keystone to what we do. The workers at the University of New Orleans face a lot of challenges, from the urgent need for more state funding, to dealing with the ongoing effects of climate change. The union is the solution, and I was so glad to help go there and get to work,” said Cook.

The workers and students at UNO are still reeling from post-Katrina enrollment decline coupled with crumbling infrastructure and divestment from the state government. The members are currently leading a campaign to save the university and fighting for increased state investment, urgently needed repairs, and meaningful increases in pay.