CWA Members at AT&T Southwest Ratify New Contract

CWA members working for AT&T Southwest wrapped up voting on Monday and have ratified a new, 4-year contract. The new contract includes improvements in wages, healthcare, pensions, and job security.

Workers covered by this contract will see a 5% increase starting on May 11 and a compounded average increase of over 15% over the course of the contract. There will also be a $1,000 ratification bonus. For healthcare, this contract represents the first reduction in healthcare costs in 15 years and will provide coverage to workers beginning on day one. And, in an effort to secure jobs in a changing economic environment, the bargaining team locked in language that fiber work will be the sole purview of the union and not contractors.

“The CWA Elected Bargaining Team,” said CWA District 6 Assistant to the Vice President and Bargaining Team Chair Billy Moffett, “is grateful for the support, unity, and solidarity we received not only from our membership in District 6, but across the country from this great union!”

In a message to District 6 members, CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase wrote, “This outcome is a direct reflection of your engagement, your solidarity, and your belief in the power of collective action.

“Throughout this process, you showed what it means to be ‘union strong.’ You made your voices heard—on the job, in mobilization efforts, and through your votes in the electronic ballot. You read the materials, attended meetings, asked tough questions, and took action. You reminded all of us that when members are informed, united, and involved, we win.

“This victory belongs to you!”

National

Last week, CWA members and retirees mobilized across the country to fight for workers’ rights and against billionaire control of our country and our economy. May 1—May Day—is International Workers’ Day. CWAers joined events calling for an end to attacks on federal workers, education, healthcare, the National Labor Relations Board, immigrants, and more.

CWA members and retirees across the country joined in May Day celebrations and protests.

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NABET-CWA

Members of NABET-CWA Local 54041, in partnership with the community group Evansville Resistance, labor activists from United Mine Workers of America Locals 11 and 1189, and community supporters, used May Day to rally against Nexstar’s illegal termination of five union workers at WEHT/WTVW. The company later terminated two more union members for speaking in favor of their union’s elected official boycott—action that is protected by federal law. Workers rallied in Boonville, Ind., on May 3 and in Evansville, Ind., on May 4.

Nexstar has refused to engage in bargaining of any kind, prompting not only the boycott but also a “work to rule” action, calling on members to only do work within their job descriptions.

NABET-CWA Local 54041 member Brody Shaffer, who was one of several workers illegally fired in April, spoke at the Evansville, Ind., rally, saying, “Solidarity doesn’t mean ‘until I get a contract’ or ‘until I get my forty hours.’ It means solidarity forever, through the easy times and the hard times. And we’ve hit some hard times. Workers’ rights are human rights. When you come for one worker, you’re coming for all of us. And if they’re attacking workers’ rights, they’re attacking human rights.”

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IUE-CWA

In preparation for national contract bargaining in June and a May 6 virtual shareholders meeting, members of IUE-CWA Local 81201 in Lynn, Mass., held an informational picket and then joined in the May Day community march. Workers at General Electric (GE) Aerospace plants are responsible for building, testing, repairing, and improving the advanced engines powering commercial and military aviation. Member activists and elected officials from other IUE-CWA GE Aerospace unions, including Local 83701 (Madisonville, Ky.), Local 86004 (Strother Field, Kan.), and Local 81301 (Schenectady, N.Y.), traveled to Lynn to take part in Local 81201’s informational picket. Members from IUE-CWA Local 83761 in Louisville, Ky. also participated in the picket and spoke about the impact of the Trump Administration’s revocation of work visas and attempts to deport union members who work at the GE/Haier Appliance Park site and what IUE-CWA is doing to protect workers.

IUE-CWA members, retirees, and supporters participated in the Lynn, Mass., May Day celebration.

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UPTE-CWA

On May 1, 20,000 healthcare, research, and technical workers across the University of California (UC) system, represented by UPTE-CWA Local 9119, walked off the job in a one-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike protesting UC’s unlawful, unilateral system-wide hiring freeze.

Members of key public sector unions and elected officials joined hundreds of striking UC workers in Sacramento for a solidarity march through the California State Capitol.

“Our message to UC’s administration and the new incoming president is simple,” said UPTE-CWA Local 9119 President Dan Russell. “We won’t stand by while patients wait longer, students suffer, and research slows. Now is not the time for California to cower to threats of funding cuts. If UC doesn’t reverse course, workers are prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure UC ends the hiring freeze and invests in the staffing necessary for Californians to receive the highest quality of healthcare, research, and educational support.”

Members of UPTE-CWA Local 9119, with labor and community supporters, went on a one-day strike on May 1 against the University of California administration, protesting unfair labor practices.

Members of CWA’s Broadband Brigade are taking action across the country to defend the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and ensure that public infrastructure dollars are spent on high-quality, fiber-first broadband networks built by trained, experienced union workers.

Many states have had their broadband buildout proposals approved, and companies are lined up and ready to begin construction. But President Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has proposed changes to the program that would require states to go back to the drawing board. These changes could force many rural residents onto more costly, less reliable satellite internet service. Satellite employs fewer workers, and there are currently no union-represented satellite internet providers.

Some Republican members of Congress have also proposed a major overhaul of the BEAD rules that would further delay rollout, including removing labor protections and wage requirements for buildout projects, which would direct more of the work to low-road contractors.

Nearly 17,000 CWA members and supporters across the country have signed petitions demanding that their elected representatives protect the fiber-first BEAD program without further costly delays.

In Arizona, CWA members and community supporters held a press conference to highlight their concerns. They delivered petitions to Governor Katie Hobbs supporting her commitment to fiber broadband and good union jobs and urged her to stay strong against pressure to change Arizona’s BEAD proposal. State Representative Stacey Travers (Phoenix), a U.S. Army veteran, recognized the importance of union workers to get the job done right and highlighted the security benefits of fiber internet. “Fiber broadband is the most secure form of infrastructure that we have right now,” Travers said. “Satellites are not secure. Copper is not secure. Fiber is secure. We need more investment to make sure that we create that infrastructure within the state of Arizona.”

In Ohio, CWA members commanded state leadership’s attention with a statehouse press conference where they presented petitions and demanded a commitment from Governor Mike DeWine to labor standards and high-quality fiber for rural communities. State Representative Lauren McNally (Youngstown) addressed the crowd at the event, saying, “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the infrastructure that will connect the unconnected, lower costs for families, and create good-paying union jobs right here in Ohio.”

The Broadband Brigade and CWA members also delivered petitions in Michigan and Minnesota at their respective state capitols to defend state broadband programs. In Georgia, Broadband Brigade members had a productive meeting with Senator Jon Ossoff, laying out CWA’s priorities for defending the BEAD program.

Top row: Broadband Brigade members in Arizona delivered petitions to the office of Governor Katie Hobbs. Second row: CWA members held a press conference in the Ohio statehouse. Third row: CWA Broadband Brigade members met with Senator Jon Ossoff (center) to discuss the importance of a fiber-first broadband deployment that creates good, union jobs. CWA and Broadband Brigade members delivered petitions to lawmakers in Minnesota (bottom left) and Colorado (bottom right).

With nearly 40 years as a journalist, Gord Holder has not only proven his talents in reporting the news but has won the admiration of colleagues and union siblings through his history of outspoken leadership and service. Holder has served for 27 years as treasurer of CWA Canada.

Last week, during CWA Canada’s Annual National Representative Council Meeting, CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth presented Holder with the 2025 CWA Canada Annual Award of Excellence for his outstanding commitment to, and leadership within, the union.

Congratulations to Gord Holder! Click here to learn more about Holder and this prestigious award.