• Top Reasons to Support the House Health Care Plan
• Keep Those Calls and Letters Coming
• Senate Votes FMLA for Flight Attendants
• AT&T Mobility Conference Focuses of Building Union Power
• CWA District 6 Members Ratify Contract at AT&T
• CWA Salutes Veterans, Active Service Members
• 'Sockville' DVD for Kids Helps Support Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Top Reasons to Support the House Health Care Plan

Here's how the health care plan that the House of Representatives passed will benefit CWA members:

• All employers (except for small businesses) will be required to provide health care for their employees or pay into a fund. That means no more health care freeloading by some companies. 
   
• It's fairly funded. It doesn't tax our health benefits but pays for health care through employer responsibility and a surtax on the very wealthiest families earning more than $500,000 a year.
   
• It ends abusive practices by insurance companies. Insurers can't deny claims because of pre-existing conditions or cancel coverage when a patient files a claim.
   
• Children up to age 27 will continue to be covered by their family's insurance.
   
• No more lifetime maximum benefit limits. 
   
• Provides protection for pre-Medicare eligible retirees and creates a new fund to help employers finance health care coverage for early retirees ages 55-64.
   
• Provides a public health insurance option that will compete with private insurance companies and help keep them honest.
   
• Applies anti-trust laws to insurance companies (they're currently exempt from these laws) so insurers have to compete.

Keep Those Calls and Letters Coming

A rally for health care reform organized by CWA Local 9408 and the Fresno area central labor council attracted more than 300 union members last week. Demonstrators marched outside the offices of Rep. Jim Costa, who ended up voting for the CWA-backed legislation in the House.

Last week was another incredible week for CWA activists contacting their members of Congress about real health care reform. CWAers made more than 4,000 calls to key House members who were undecided about their support for H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The final vote 220 yes, 215 no.

Now the action moves to the Senate and CWA members are making sure that their Senators know that taxing the health care plans of middle class and working families is the wrong way to go.

Make sure you're a part of the campaign. Go to www.healthcarevoices.org for more info.

Senate Votes FMLA for Flight Attendants

After a 16-year delay, flight attendants are about to win Family and Medical Leave Act protections after the Senate voted to extend coverage to airline workers.

The Senate approved the Airline Flight Crew Family and Medical Leave Act, S. 1422, closing a loophole in the law that has enabled airlines to deny airline workers FMLA benefits. The 1993 law provides workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave a year, but airline management has claimed that the law did not apply to flight crews because they did not work traditional 40-hour weeks.

"We look forward to an expedited process to finalize this very important bill and for President Obama to officially sign it into law this fall," said AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend.  The House passed virtually identical legislation last year and is expected to adopt the Senate's version of the bill before the end of the year so that it can go to President's Obama for his signature.

AT&T Mobility Conference Focuses on Building Union Power

During the AT&T Mobility Conference, participants rallied outside AT&T's Dallas headquarters, and also spread the union word by leafletting workers at a T-Mobile and AT&T Mobility call center in Dallas.

Building our union at AT&T Mobility was the focus of a three-day meeting of more than 200 local union leaders at the AT&T Mobility Leadership Conference in Dallas.

CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill discussed the recent results of a nationwide survey of Mobility workers that highlight the importance of communications and even more contact from workplace stewards for members at Mobility.

Also on hand were District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn, District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton, District 4 Vice President Seth Rosen, and District 9 Vice President Jim Weitkamp.

Workshops and general sessions outlined ways activists can help build CWA's effectiveness across diverse work locations: call centers, small and large retail stores and garages. 

One workshop explored ways that local union leaders can bridge the generational gap that sometimes exists between older and younger workers and activists. Mobility workers range in age from 18 to more than 55. Another workshop looked at ways to improve communications and networking through the Internet, e-mail, Facebook and Twitter to build an online community of Mobility workers.

In the final session, local union leaders led a panel discussion to share successes they have had in building membership. They were Local 3806 Vice President Paul Klaebel, Local 6016 Vice President Gemelli, Local 7250 President Shari Wojtowicz, and Local 4320 Vice President Cathy Mason-Vallance.

Participants leafleted workers at T-Mobile and AT&T Mobility call centers, and also rallied at AT&T headquarters in Dallas to support for CWAers in District 3 and CWA Local 1298 who are bargaining for a new contract.

CWA represents more than 42,000 AT&T Mobility workers.

CWA District 6 Members Ratify Contract at AT&T Southwest

District 6 CWA members ratified a new four-year agreement covering 27,000 CWA-represented workers at AT&T Southwest. The settlement was ratified by a majority vote.

Among improvements, the agreement provides for a 12 percent wage increase over the contract term, with a cost-of-living adjustment in the final year, and a 2 percent increase in the pension bands in each contract year, also with a final year cost-of-living adjustment.

Negotiations are continuing for about 40,000 CWA-represented workers at AT&T Southeast (CWA District 3) and AT&T East (CWA Local 1298).

CWA Salutes Veterans, Active Service Members

Alaska Airlines flight attendant and AFA-CWA Council 19 member David Brunstad, stationed in Iraq, assigned to Kirkuk Regional Air Base. On his days off, David spends his time packaging school supplies for local Iraqi children through a program called Operation School Supplies.

CWA pays tribute to all veterans and military personnel, today and everyday:

"On Veterans Day, the Communications Workers of America honors the courageous and selfless service of our nation's military, the men and women serving today in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world, and the veterans who have fought for our freedom over the years.

"Thousands of CWA active and retired members are among these brave veterans and military personnel, with service spanning from World War II, Korea and Vietnam to today's conflicts. Hundreds of CWA members also are among those who continue to serve through the military reserves and the National Guard.

"We owe these brave men and women so much. They put their lives on hold and literally on the line to defend our freedom.

"Our nation must meet its commitment to our fighting forces and veterans by providing them with the best equipment and training, top quality medical benefits, educational opportunities and the care they and their families deserve. That's the way a nation thanks and honors its soldiers.

"CWA is so proud of our members who have served this nation. Please accept our thanks and gratitude on this Veterans Day, and always."

'Sockville' DVD for Kids Helps Support Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Treat a youngster you love to the silliness of Sockville, an award-winning DVD. At the same time you can support CWA's charity of choice, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

From now through Dec. 15, the Sockville DVD is selling for $9.99 on a special website, www.sockshelpingkids.com. For every purchase there, the company will send $3 to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, which CWA has supported for nearly 20 years. CWA locals that raise the most money for Pediatric AIDS each year are recognized at CWA's annual convention.

Locals will get credit for every $3 donation from Sockville DVD sales, as long as buyers include their local number when they make their purchase. Locals are encouraged to publicize the DVD and website with flyers that can be downloaded from the site. Simply click the "Resource" link on the upper left side of the page.

The DVD was designed and produced by CWA Local 6300 member Patrick Voss, who has also help create a children's TV show about Sockville — the place where socks lost in the laundry go to live. The imaginative show and DVD use humor to inspire children to embrace good values and manners, follow their dreams and respect others.