Worker Power Update

Florida CWAers Mobilize to Defeat Anti-Worker Legislation

CWA activists in Florida have been working hard to stop SB 256, anti-worker legislation which is designed to circumvent the Florida constitution and destroy Floridians’ right to be union members. The bill targets Florida's public sector unions by banning paycheck dues deduction and decertifying locals below 60 percent membership. Last Thursday, CWA members joined over 100 union activists to speak out against the bill during a committee hearing in the state legislature. On Tuesday, CWAers and other union activists participated in a day of action at the state capitol in Tallahassee and Miami to call on state lawmakers to vote against this harmful bill. The CWA activists are committed to continuing to mobilize along with other labor partners to defeat this bill and hold their state representatives accountable.

CWA activists participated in a day of action in Florida as part of their mobilization to defeat SB 256, anti-worker legislation which is designed to weaken unions and destroy Floridians’ right to be union members.

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CWAers in Minnesota Build Support for Pro-Worker Legislation That Will Ban Mandatory Anti-Union Meetings

CWA and other labor partners, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Minnesota, are mobilizing to build support for new legislation that will ban mandatory anti-union “captive audience” meetings that employers use to prevent workers from forming unions. The legislation, which makes it illegal to retaliate against workers who decline to participate in these meetings that are designed to intimidate workers and weaken their organizing efforts, is co-sponsored by State Representative and AFA-CWA Local 27048 member Kaela Berg, who is a staunch advocate of workers’ rights in the state legislature.

“[W]e were subject to numerous tactics by our employer to try and divide our united group and scare our colleagues. As an open committee member, I expected and experienced hostile management and retaliation. But the captive audience meetings, billed as ‘programming meetings’, was where this was turned onto every employee in our unit right before the vote,” said Michaela Arellano, a worker and organizing committee member at M Health Fairview who testified in support of the bill at a committee hearing last Tuesday. Arellano and her colleagues are organizing to form a union at their workplace with support from CWA and SEIU. In lieu of national legislation to ban captive audience meetings, advancing such legislation on the state level will have a significant impact in curbing anti-union tactics and increase workers’ ability to organize freely.

Michaela Arellano, a worker and organizing committee member at M Health Fairview, testified at the Minnesota State Capitol in support of legislation to ban mandatory anti-union “captive audience” meetings.

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CWAers Build Support for Pro-Worker Candidates in Upcoming Local Elections

In Wisconsin, the election for the open Supreme Court seat is coming up fast on April 7. CWA members, along with a coalition of other pro-labor and pro-democracy activists, are continuing to mobilize to build support for Judge Janet Protasiewicz​, a CWA-endorsed candidate who won her primary election last month. This is a critical election that will determine how the court will rule on issues like worker protections, voting rights, and even how legislative district maps are drawn. Every vote counts to fight back against the anti-labor groups who are spending millions of dollars on this race. Click here to register for upcoming phone banking opportunities and to help turn out the vote.

In Chicago, CWA members are mobilizing to build support for mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson, who recently received CWA’s official endorsement ahead of the election on April 4. Johnson is an experienced union organizer, teacher, and county commissioner with a proven track record of supporting workers and communities over corporations. He supports making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share in taxes and is committed to fight for good jobs, fully funded public schools, affordable housing, public transit, and more.