CWA Newsletter, Thursday, December 12, 2013

8/13/2019 CWA Newsletter, Thursday, December 12, 2013

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December 12, 2013

Want to be in next week's CWA Newsletter? Send your stories and photos [email protected]@CWANews. Follow the latest developments atwww.resistancegrowing.org.

Top Issues All Consumers Should Know

Immigration Reform Advocates Take Over Congressional Offices

TPP Trade Deal Misses 2013 Deadline, Talks Continue

Tell the FCC: Keep Spectrum Auction Open to All

Solidarity with Amazon Workers in the U.S. and Germany

U.S. Senate Confirms Executive, Judicial Nominations

T-Mobile Worker Survey Confirms Harassment, Bullying, IllegalActions by Deutsche Telekom Subsidiary

Bargaining Update

NLRB Issues New Complaints Against NBC

Building Our Movement

CWA Heroes: Verizon Techs Stop Assault in Queens, NY

December 10, 1948

US Airways-American Airlines Merger Creates World's Largest Airline

Top Issues All Consumers Should Know

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Richard Cordray, the first-ever director of the Consumer Financial ProtectionBureau, an agency that's on the side of consumers when it comes topredatory lending and other bad practices by the big banks and otherfinancial institutions, will join CWA President Larry Cohen on CWA's nextTown Hall Call, Thursday, Dec. 19.


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Cordray's nomination, like too many other executive nominations made byPresident Obama, had been blocked by the Republican minority, which triedto block creation of the consumer agency, but failed. Their next step was totry and stop Cordray's confirmation.

Cordray broke through the logjam last summer, when CWA and allies led afight for confirmation of a fully-functioning, five-member NLRB, Cordray asCFPB director, Gina McCarthy as EPA administrator, and other nominations.

Register athttp://cwa-union.org/cwacall.

Reminder: When you sign up for the remaining CWA town hall calls this year,you will be entered in a drawing for a personalized iPad Mini! The winner willbe announced in the CWA News and e-newsletter.

Immigration Reform Advocates Take Over Congressional Offices

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CWAers and allies sing We Shall Overcome in the Rayburn House OfficeBuilding halls.


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The Democratic caucus stands with Fast4Families activists.

Activists march from the Capitol down to the Fast4Families tent on theNational Mall.

Today CWA activists joined more than 1,500 immigration reform advocates inoccupying over 200 congressional offices. Activists from across the countryprayed and held vigils. The song "We Shall Overcome" echoed through thehalls of Rayburn House Office Building.

It was a final send-off to lawmakers before they head back home for theholidays. And it was also a preview of the 2014 campaign to come, telling

House Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans that this issue is notgoing away. The time for Congress to pass immigration reform with a path tocitizenship is now.

The entire Democratic caucus stood behind reformers. They gathered for apress conference with Fast4Families participants on the steps of the U.S.Capitol before marching down to the Fast4Families Fasting Tent on the


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National Mall for a closing ceremony.

Today was the last day of the fast that started on Nov. 12 to spotlight ourcountry's broken immigration system. Activists including CWA PresidentLarry Cohen, who joined the fast for 24 hours helped spark a nationwide

movement, which included more than 10,000 solidarity fasters from coast-to-coast and millions committing to act for reform.

TPP Trade Deal Misses 2013 Deadline, Talks Continue

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Ernie Pacheco, CWA District 9's environmental programs coordinator, ralliesagainst the TPP at a Beverly Hills, Calif., protest.

Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiators missed their year-end deadline tocomplete the deal, giving activists more time to take down the massive,secretive agreement that could destroy workers' rights and jobs.

"We've been losing service sector jobs at the same pace now asmanufacturing jobs," said CWA President Larry Cohen on a media calldiscussing the TPP. "Half a million call center jobs have gone overseas in thepast five years. The 600 multinationals that are negotiating this deal arelooking at net profits. We need to look at what would be the net results on

jobs for workers not just jobs created by exports but also those jobs lost toimports."


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He added, "There's nothing in this for the American people."

Listen to the entire media call also featuring Reps. Rosa DeLauro and LouiseSlaughter, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, SteelworkersPresident Leo Gerard and Teamsters President James Hoffahere.

Andcheck out Cohen's discussion about the TPP with Ed Schultz on The EdShow.

Opposition is growing.

This weekThe Huffington Postreported that the Obama administration"appears to have almost no international support for controversial new tradestandards that would grant radical new political powers to corporations,increase the cost of prescription medications and restrict bank regulation."Read more here.

CWA activists continue to put pressure on lawmakers to vote no on "fasttrack," a process that would restrict Congress to an up-or-down vote on theTPP with no amendments. Most recently we joined with Citizens TradeCampaign, Moveon.org, Sierra Club and Trade Justice to protest Rep.Gregory Meeks's decision to join the Pro-TPP Caucus.Check out this videoof the rally outside his New York office.

Tell the FCC: Keep Spectrum Auction Open to All

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is writing the rules for anincentive auction for wireless spectrum. Television and radio broadcastersand mobile devices all use spectrum for wireless communications, and allfour national wireless carries AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint needmore spectrum to meet the explosion in traffic over wireless networks.

CWA and a growing number of lawmakers are weighing in to make sure thatthe auction is fair and open to all bidders. Read more and take action athttp://www.dontrigtheauction.org/.

"In the incentive auction, I believe the FCC should let all interestedparticipants freely compete against one another in the open market andshould avoid putting its thumb on the scale, as we are apparently witnessingin connection with the Justice Department's settlement agreement in the


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American Airlines and US Airways merger," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.)during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Tuesday. "The value ofusing spectrum auctions is that the free market is more effective at allocatingspectrum than relying on the subjective opinions and predictions ofgovernment officials. American consumers should pick who wins in the

marketplace, not the government."

In a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)urged the agency to assure that the upcoming wireless spectrum auctionwould be open to all bidders, so that the government can maximize revenueand adequately fund the FirstNet emergency response network.

Schumer writes:

"... in structuring these auctions, to maximize participation bybroadcasters and bidders alike by avoiding limitations that could lower

the potential return and disincentivize broadcasters from offering theirspectrum for auction. While I understand that some have advocated forrules that would limit participation by certain wireless carriers, the effectof such rules would simply be to reduce the amount of spectrum offeredfor auctions as well as the revenue that would be generated in return.Ultimately, then, the biggest loser would be FirstNet and the publicsafety network America needs to thrive in the 21st century."

Read the full letter here.

Right now, a number of interests are lobbying the FCC to establish different

rules for different bidders, potentially slowing the spread of wireless and theinvestment and jobs that go with it. T-Mobile US and Sprint are asking theFCC to limit how much spectrum their larger competition AT&T and Verizon

can buy. CWA is pressing for an open, unbiased auction.

Read CWA President Larry Cohen's letter to the FCC, arguing for fair rules,here.

Solidarity with Amazon Workers in the U.S. and Germany

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On Monday, Dec. 16, CWAers and other union activists will rally outsideAmazon's worldwide headquarters in Seattle to show their solidarity with


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Amazon workers in Germany who are holding a rolling strike.

The Amazon Germany workers, members of ver.di, have been holding aseries of rolling strikes to push the company to negotiate with ver.di.Currently, the Amazon workers aren't covered by the negotiated agreement

for the retail and mail order trades industry. That means Amazon workers inGermany earn several thousand dollars a year less than other warehouseworkers because Amazon arbitrarily sets its wage rate. The Amazon workersalso have fewer benefits and a more hostile work environment.

Sometime over the Dec. 16-20 period, Amazon workers in Graben, Bavaria,will join the rolling strike; ver.di members in Bad Hersfeld and Leipzig also willbe on strike.

There are about 9,000 permanent and approximately 6,000 to 10,000 non-permanent Amazon workers at eight locations in Germany. Working

conditions are very stressful and workers face constant monitoring andsupervision.

So far, Amazon has refused to negotiate with ver.di, but Frank Bsirske, thehead of ver.di, said, "We are not going to let a big American company comehere and play Wild West. This is a clash of cultures."

At Amazon headquarters in Seattle, ver.di Amazon workers will be joined byunion members from Washington State, including activists from CWA,UFCW, SEIU, Teamsters and the AFL-CIO.

U.S. Senate Confirms Executive, Judicial Nominations

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The U.S. Senate moved forward to confirm the nomination of Rep. Mel Wattas director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and confirmed PatriciaMillett to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. And following a Republican "talk-a-

thon" last night, the Senate also moved forward on the confirmation ofCornelia "Nina" Pillard, also to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Watt will be a strong advocate for individual homeowners and communitiesand will take on predatory lending and other financial practices that harmconsumers. His confirmation was long overdue, delayed because the Senateminority was determined to pursue a partisan agenda and block his


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nomination from proceeding to a confirmation vote.

The confirmations of Watt, Millett and Pillard happened only because SenateMajority Leader Harry Reid and a majority of Democrats voted to endobstruction and gridlock on nominations by restoring majority vote

confirmation for judicial and executive nominations, as called for by the U.S.Constitution. The Senate minority had been blocking action by requiring a 60-vote supermajority for all Senate business, even on the motion to adjourn.

The Senate has made similar changes to its rules 18 times over the past 35years.

CWA commended Reid and the other champions of Senate rules reform.With the Fix the Senate Now coalition and the Democracy Initiative, we willwork for more changes to the Senate rules in January 2015 to restore realdebate and deliberation on legislation, as the U.S. Constitution charges the

Senate to do.

T-Mobile Worker Survey Confirms Harassment, Bullying, Illegal Actions byDeutsche Telekom Subsidiary

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At a news conference tomorrow in Bonn, Germany, ver.di, the unionrepresenting workers at Deutsche Telekom in Germany, CWA and UNIGlobal Union, will spotlight Deutsche Telekom's policy of allowing itssubsidiaries outside Germany to intimidate and harass workers.

The unions will call on DT to use the change in top leadership that is comingat the end of this year as an opportunity to change course and end the"culture of bullying" that DT has allowed to take hold in the United States andother countries where T-Mobile operates.

The news conference will expose DT as a "Black Book Telecom" and cite its

violations of the right to freedom of association, human rights and labor lawoutside of Germany. It also will release the results of a survey conductedamong 1,800 workers from seven countries outside of the companyheadquarters in Germany, carried out by affiliates of UNI Global Union. Thecountries surveyed were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the CzechRepublic, Greece, Montenegro, Romania and the United States. All workerswere employed in companies with either direct or indirect Deutsche Telekom


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ownership.

CWA President Larry Cohen will be in Bonn as DT's Supervisory Boardprepares to name a new chairman. He outlined the campaign of humiliation,fear and illegal actions that T-Mobile US workers face:

"In 2001, CWA supported Deutsche Telekom's entrance into the U.S. marketon the recommendation of ver.di which cited DT's respect for workers' rights.In fact, DT acknowledges the value of its relationship with ver.di and respectsworkers' rights in Germany.

"But in the U.S., DT USA management has no tolerance for workers whowant to form a union. DT allows its subsidiary T-Mobile US to attack workers'rights and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in the workplace,"Cohen said.

"ver.di has been a great partner in this effort to support the rights of T-Mobileworkers, in the U.S. and in other countries. ver.di members have taken on thecause of Josh Coleman, a top performing worker who was illegally fired fromT-Mobile US's Wichita, Kan., call center. Thousands of ver.di activists haveprotested this action and wear t-shirts that say 'We Are All Josh,'" Cohensaid.

The U.S. government is prosecuting T-Mobile US for illegal firings anddisciplinary action taken against union supporters. "This is the only beginning,as the number and intensity of U.S. labor law violations have grown," he said.

Lothar Schrder, a ver.di Federal Executive Board member, said, "Thesurvey findings confirm our belief that Deutsche Telekom must do more toensure fair conditions and respect for worker rights in its operations outsideGermany. ver.di is committed to working together with UNI Global Union andthe DT Union Alliance to press for the remedies set out in the report."

Among the key survey findings:

Forty-six percent of T-Mobile workers have experienced bullying in theform of verbal aggression, denigration of professional abilities ordemoralizing jokes.

Workers in all survey countries (72% percent of the 1,800respondents) said the best way for workers to improve their workingconditions was through a union and a collective bargaining agreement.

In nearly every country, a high proportion of surveyed workers said theemployer exerts pressure to prevent employees from participating inthe union or to undermine the effectiveness and reputation of theorganization.


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Forty-nine percent of workers surveyed said they believe the companytrains managers to discourage union activity, and 67 percent said thattheir employer says negative things about the union or its reputation.

"CWA will continue to work with ver.di and UNI Global Union until Deutsche

Telekom accepts its responsibility for the way its subsidiaries in othercountries treat workers," Cohen said.

Bargaining Update

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Court interpreters, members of the California Federation ofInterpreters/Pacific Mediaworkers Guild/CWA demonstrate in front of theOakland Superior Court for a fair contract, and to oppose proposals that they

provide interpretation by video instead of in person.


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Copyright David Bacon.

The California Federation of Interpreters a unit of the Pacific Media WorkersGuild, CWA Local 39521 have reached a tentative agreement with thecourts in Region 2. The agreement includes a 2 percent pay raise starting

October 2014, followed by a similar raise in 2015. Read more here.

NLRB Issues New Complaints Against NBC

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Region 2 of the National Labor Relations Board issued a new unfair labor

practice complaint against NBC Universal this week over the issue of "contentproducers." The complaint cites NBC for its refusal to bargain, requires NBCto respond by Dec. 18 and has set a trial date in New York before anadministrative law judge for Feb. 20, 2014.

NBC had created the job title of "content producer" five years ago andunilaterally changed the wages, benefits and working conditions for about100 newswriters, editors, and photographers at owned-and- operated TVstations in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

NABET-CWA charged that this move violated federal labor law and an NLRB

regional director agreed in 2011. That decision was upheld by a three-member NLRB panel in September 2013, with NBC required to restore thewages, benefits and bargaining rights that these workers lost.

NABET-CWA called for immediate negotiations on behalf of the contentproducers, but NBC has refused to meet. NLRB Region 2 acted on a newunfair labor practice charge filed by NABET-CWA in late October.

These developments illustrate that the NLRB regions are functioning morefully since a five member Board was restored and a confirmed NLRB GeneralCounsel was put into place.

"With a full NLRB in place overseeing regional activity, workers have a pathto justice. This complaint was issued in just six weeks. We are confident thatour members who had careers and lives disrupted by NBC's unlawful actionswill soon get the justice that they deserve," said NABET-CWA President JimJoyce.


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Building Our Movement

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Fight for $15

As fast-food workers walked off the job in more than 100 cities last week,CWA activists joined them on the frontlines.

Below, members of CWA Local 4900 join the protest in Fort Wayne, Ind.


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Read about our Kansas City rally in the Kansas City Star.

Pride At Work


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Members of CWA Local 1106 and Verizon technicians Michael Popowich,Anthony Howley and John Gilday.

Photo credit: Melissa Chan,Queens Courier, Queens, NY.

Three CWA Verizon workers, members of Local 1106, were working InQueens, N.Y., on Oct. 30. On the job, they saw a man push a woman toground, start to pull off her clothes and assault her.

The three technicians chased the alleged assailant and wrestled him to theground, holding him until police arrived.

In media interviews, the three talked about what happened.

"I'm not surprised by what we did. I think anybody who was in our situation

would have done the same thing," Michael Popowich, a Verizon lineman.

"It was just natural instincts," said Anthony Howley, another Verizon lineman."I didn't do it for any of the accolades or anything like that, it was just seeing awoman being attacked and we just stepped in to save her."

"We just reacted," John Gilday said. "I have daughters, a wife, sisters Ihope if something like that was happening to them, someone would dosomething about it. I don't want to see that happen to anybody."

December 10, 1948

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In a piece in The Huffington Post, CWA President Larry Cohen reflected onthe beginning of International Human Rights Day. He wrote:

Eleanor Rooseveltproclaimed International Human Rights Day, speaking

mostly to the rest of the world emerging from war and facing human rightsissues on every continent. At that moment, the U.S. led the world'sdemocracies by almost every measure. Now 65 years later, the blocks to ourdemocracy are as glaring in the U.S. as anywhere else.

Sixty-five years ago, workers' rights in the U.S. matched any other nation.Collective bargaining was on the rise with more thanone in threeU.S. privatesector workers covered by agreements with their employers, providing a


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US Airways-American Airlines Merger Creates World's Largest Airline

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The US Airways-American Airlines merger is official. The merged carrier willcreate a stronger, more competitive airline that will provide better service andmore options to passengers than either airline can do alone. That meansquality jobs and opportunity for the airlines' 70,000 front-line employees andexpanded service for passengers.

CWA501 Third Street NWWashington, DC 20001www.cwa-union.org

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Documents

CWA Newsletter, Thursday, December 12, 2013