CWA Members “Build on the Basics” at Telecommunications and Technologies Leadership Conference

In mid-November, CWAers from across the country gathered in Phoenix, Ariz., for this year’s Telecommunications and Technologies (T&T) Leadership Conference. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. addressed the attendees, highlighting recent bargaining successes and recognizing the contributions of the T&T National Mobilization Committee. “Too many of our best ideas stay locked up in one district or sector,” President Cummings said. “We talk about being one union, but too often we don’t act like it. As your president, I am committed to do more to break down those walls and celebrate our successes.”

Discussing the fight for a fair contract at Avaya, where management has proposed stripping benefits from current and future retirees, President Cummings told the crowd, “We cannot let them get away with it. We are going to mobilize, we are going to get elected officials involved, we are going to explore our legal options, we are going to use every tool in our toolbox to keep what generations of CWA members have fought so hard to win!”

CWA T&T Sector Vice President Lisa Bolton encouraged members to take advantage of the recent increase in support for unions. "Our theme this year is 'Building on the Basics.’ We have a powerful history, but we cannot remain stuck in the past. Working people - and especially young workers - were transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are refusing to be taken for granted anymore. That's what the labor movement is all about - fighting for respect, dignity, and our fair share."

During the conference, members heard from members of CWA’s Next Generation program, attended workshops on mobilization and handling grievances and arbitration, and participated in bargaining unit breakout meetings. CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton, CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce, Western Region At-Large Executive Board Member Keith Gibbs, and CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos attended the conference and joined a rally in support of Avaya workers.

T&T Leadership Conference attendees rally in support of Avaya workers who are fighting for a fair contract that protects benefits for current and future retirees.