• 6 Days and Counting to CWA Lobby Day on Capitol Hill
• CWAers Organize in Denver, New Jersey
• Business Community Shows Hypocrisy as Usual
• FCC Chairman Copps to Receive TNG-CWA's Freedom Award

6 Days and Counting to CWA Lobby Day on Capitol Hill

Members of Local 3122 in Miami, Fla., hang an Employee Free Choice banner over the interstate.

CWA members are meeting in Washington, D.C, at exactly the right time for our joint convention/legislative-political conference, with Congress ready to act on two of our top priorities.

CWA members also will be out in force during the July 4th congressional recess, meeting with elected officials and staff in their district offices and giving us another opportunity to make our voices heard.

For the latest CWA legislative fact sheets, go to http://www.cwa-legislative.org/fact-sheets/.

CWAers Organize in Denver, New Jersey

Low wages, poor benefits and job security in a bad economy were major factors in the organizing victory by parking lot attendants at WallyPark, an airport parking lot near Denver International Airport. The workers also wanted a union so they would be treated with dignity and respect. More than 70 percent are immigrants and faced unfair treatment by their employer. Unity and a strong inside organizing committee made the difference in blocking a nasty anti-union campaign, and the vote for CWA representation was 32-11. Workers were supported by District 7 organizing coordinator Al Kogler and Local 7717 President Tommy Costello.

In New Jersey, teachers with the Rankokas Valley Schools gained representation with CWA Local 1039 through majority sign up. The teachers, who teach night school classes for adults, were assisted by local staff representatives Lionel Leach, Cheryl Palermo and Serena Teel.

Business Community Shows Hypocrisy as Usual

This American Rights at Work ad spotlights management's hypocrisy in opposing arbitration as a way for workers to get a first contract.

American Rights at Work is focusing public attention on the hypocrisy of Big Business which demands arbitration to resolve all kinds of disputes, but opposes it for negotiating first contracts with workers.

The Employee Free Choice Act calls for arbitration when unions and management don't reach a first contract after 90 days.

Under current labor law, workers face long delays, stalling tactics and employer-orchestrated decertification campaigns as they negotiate for a first-contract. Workers at Comcast in Pittsburgh know this too well; it was more than five years after they first voted for CWA representation that they gained a first contract.

The Employee Free Choice Act is moving forward, with action likely in the Senate by next month. For more information and to see the latest ads, go to www.freechoiceact.org.

FCC Chairman Copps to Receive TNG-CWA Freedom Award

Michael J. Copps, acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, will receive the Herbert Block Freedom Award from The Newspaper Guild-CWA for his work to force debate and transparency over media consolidation.

As giant media companies pushed for FCC rule changes to let them get even bigger, Copps called for public hearings across the country that gave the voices of communities, public interest groups and individuals an opportunity to be heard.

"While others tried to limit hearings and move quickly, Commissioner Copps made certain all voices were heard," said TNG-CWA President Bernie Lunzer. "He has set some of the highest standards for democracy in government today, and in doing so, has helped maintain a free and competitive press."

The Freedom Award is named for the late Washington Post editorial cartoonist best known as Herblock, who was a Guild member for 67 years. It will be presented at the TNG-CWA conference in Washington, D.C., along with the Broun awards and other awards that honor professional and student journalists. Ed Schultz, host of MSNBC's The Ed Show, will speak about why quality journalism is critical today to correct injustices.