TO SEE PICTURES OF OUR "RUSH HOUR RALLY II" EVENT, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PICTURES FROM PAST PICKETS AND RALLIES, CLICK HERE OR ON THE PICTURE ABOVE.
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JUNE PRIMARY: VOTE!
SUPPORT LABOR'S CANDIDATES!!
It's that time again.
The June 5th Presidential Primary Election is right around the corner...but if you're a Vote By Mail voter (absentee), you can vote NOW!
CWA Local 9421 has done a very thorough job of interviewing and vetting candidates at all levels.
To check out our list of endorsed candidates and ballot propositions, click here:
Remember:
We ONLY support strong labor candidates... we will not support candidates who have not or will not support us!
Thank You,
Robert Longer
Legislative-Political Director
Julie Bratcher
Legislative-Political Committee Chair
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RUSH HOUR RALLY III
The 3rd time is a charm!
Join us next week for our 3rd "Rush Hour Rally" picket event. That's right, next Thursday, May 24th, we'll be back at T Street to greet all of those commuters during rush hour and annoy AT&T!
Let's keep showing AT&T that CWA means business, as well as letting the public know that we are fighting for good jobs and the American Dream.
WHAT: RUSH HOUR RALLY / PICKET
WHEN: THURSDAY, MAY 24TH, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
WHERE: 3675 T ST, SACRAMENTO 95816 (IN FRONT OF THE AT&T BUILDING, CORNER OF STOCKTON BLVD AND T ST)
WHY: KEEP THE PRESSURE ON AT&T!
Remember:
This is YOUR contract. This is YOUR fight. This is about YOUR future. Don't sit on the sidelines. NOW is the time to FIGHT for your rights and to secure a fair contract.
BE A PART OF THE ACTION!
In Unity,
Your CWA Local 9421 Officers
P.S. - DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR RED CWA SHIRT!
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Click here to see pictures of our Prem Tech Heroes:
THANK YOU PREM TECHS!
YOU ARE OUR HEROES AND WE OWE YOU OUR RESPECT AND GRATITUDE!
PREM TECHS LOCKED OUT AGAIN BY AT&T!
On Thursday and Friday, May 3rd and 4th, CWA Local 9421 Premises Technicians were again LOCKED OUT of work by AT&T. Why? They were simply wearing a sticker: Keep AT&T Off the Healthcare Low Road.
Why is AT&T, a big multinational corporation -- with $31 BILLION in PROFITS the last two years -- scared of a little sticker?
Maybe AT&T realizes that WE KNOW that they are GREEDY and MONEY-GRUBBING and, instead of negotiating a good contract that protects the middle class and preserves American jobs, they would rather OUTSOURCE and CUT WAGES AND BENEFITS.
Well guess what AT&T: We're Not Gonna Take It!
We are so PROUD OF OUR PREM TECHS for standing up for their rights under federal law (see Concerted Activity: Stickers story below).
On Friday, May 4th, the vast majority of Prem Techs across many CWA Locals in California and Nevada were locked out again by AT&T. Even though they were locked out by AT&T, Prem Techs across the state stood strong and united together.
Prem Techs:
YOU ARE OUR HEROES AND WE OWE YOU OUR RESPECT AND GRATITUDE!
From the bottom of our hearts, we wish to THANK all of our CWA Local 9421 Prem Techs and all Prem Techs across CWA District 9 for standing up for their rights. Your fight is not going unnoticed. This does affect AT&T. It is making a difference.
May 7th marked 30 days since our contracts expired.
30 days without a contract made a lot of our members sick!
Please continue to stay posted and remain united. We are all in this together.
In Solidarity Always,
Your CWA Local 9421 Officers
P.S. - To see pictures of our Prem Tech heroes, click HERE.
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CONCERTED ACTIVITY: STICKERS
SHOWING AT&T THAT WE ARE UNITED & READY TO TAKE ACTION!
WHAT HAPPENED?
A whole yard of Premises Technicians out of the San Jose CWA Local wore WTF stickers to work on April 20th and were asked to take them off. Knowing their legal rights (see below), they said NO. AT&T management then told them to take them off or go home. The Prem Techs walked out -- but they did not go home -- instead they stayed at work in front of their yard and started picketing. AT&T management then LOCKED THEM OUT -- illegally.
This sparked action across CWA District 9. All CWA Locals agreed that we needed to send AT&T a message and stand together in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who were locked out. Therefore on Monday, April 23rd, CWA members across California and Nevada wore WTF stickers (with the words 'Where's The Fairness' printed on them). The response from AT&T? They again LOCKED OUT CWA members -- again, illegally.
Almost uniformly across California and Nevada, Prem Tech yards were LOCKED OUT, including all four (4) of our yards in our Local. Management seemed to be mostly targeting the Prem Techs for some reason. Some of our other outside techs were even suspended for wearing their stickers. The gall of AT&T!
What happened was amazing. We witnessed our Prem Techs stand UNITED against AT&T's audacity and disrespect of their lawful right to wear a simple sticker. Our Prem Techs and Prem Techs in all of the other affected Locals stood together and picketed outside of their yards all day. They stood up for ALL OF US. They deserve our respect and our gratitude. They are our HEROES!
In the end, CWA District 9 filed Unfair Labor Practice Charges against AT&T. AT&T quickly realized how stupid they were for breaking the law and have said that they will take NO ACTION against members who wore the WTF stickers. Duh AT&T! That's because you broke the LAW!! CWA members will not be disrespected by AT&T!!!
WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
Now we are moving forward. However, we still need to show AT&T that we want a fair contract. That is why we must ALL wear stickers/badges. We are in the process of getting out new stickers/badges to all locations with differnt messaging. Be on the lookout for yours.
YOUR RIGHTS
Wearing stickers is a concerted activity. It is a legally protected right to take action such as wearing t-shirts, buttons or stickers. Union members are protected under federal law.
QUESTIONS?
Call the Union Hall immediately at 916-484-9421 or e-mail us at frontdesk@cwalocal9421.org if you have any questions at all.
Again, it is your LEGAL RIGHT to take part in this action or any other concerted activity that we collectively engage in.
TAKE ACTION AND WEAR YOUR STICKER/BADGE!
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TAKE ACTION! MOBILIZE!!
ONLY TOGETHER WILL WE SECURE A FAIR CONTRACT
We need YOUR help. We can't do this alone. We need YOU to be a part of the process.
While our Bargaining Committee is working hard night and day negotiating our AT&T Core contract, we need to have their backs! Show them that YOU -- yes, YOU! -- are supporting them!!
* They need to see ACTION. They need to see YOU getting involved. *
It’s time for each and every member to ask themselves two questions: “What have I done to help our bargaining team get a fair contract?” And, “What am I willing to do over the weeks ahead?”
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Be a part of this bargaining process. Take a stand in your work place. See below for more information.
Some of the logos we've received. Keep them coming!
Outside Techs
Cut out the AT&T logo from all of your shirts and hats and get them to the Union Hall. We are sending these to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. We sent a big batch of them last week, and will continue to send him more to show him that CWA members are fed up with him and the company. We want AT&T to recognize that this is NOT business as usual. Sending them the logos is a sign that we are mad and that we want a fair contract NOW!
Wear your badge/sticker(s)!
Wear your RED CWA shirt every Thursday!
Prem Techs
While you can't cut your branded apparel / BAP, you can wear your RED CWA shirt under your company shirt or, better yet, walk in before your shift with your RED CWA shirt over your company shirt and send a message to the company that you are united.
Wear your badge/sticker(s)!
Wear your RED CWA bracelets every day as a sign of unity!
Service Reps, Inside Techs, CO's, Those Working In Offices
Work with your office Steward(s) / Chief Steward to coordinate events like doing "stand ups", tapping, bathroom breaks, having themed days or any other creative activities. Spice it up! Every office is different, so work out something that most people in your office are comfortable with and can participate in. Also, if you have any branded apparel, please also cut out the AT&T logo from all of your shirts and hats and get them to the Union Hall. We are sending these to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. We sent a big batch of them last week, and will continue to send him more to show him that CWA members are fed up with him and the company. We want AT&T to recognize that this is NOT business as usual. Sending them the logos and taking action in your office are signs that we are mad and that we want a fair contract NOW!
Wear your badge/sticker(s)!
Wear your RED CWA shirt every Thursday!
All Members
Fill out a STANKEY LETTER! What is this? We are sending letters to John Stankey, AT&T's #2 executive and new Chief Strategy Officer. We're letting the company know that we demand a fair contract! Click HERE for the letter, or call the Union Hall at 916-484-9421 or e-mail us at frontdesk@cwalocal9421.org for a copy. Get them back to us ASAP. We sent a big batch of letters to him last week, and will continue to send him more to show him that CWA members are fed up with him and the company.
Wear your badge/sticker(s)!
Wear your RED CWA shirt every Thursday!
STAY IN TOUCH
Call the Union Hall at 916-484-9421 or e-mail us at frontdesk@cwalocal9421.org to stay connected with what is going on. Let us know your thoughts, suggestions, etc. Keep the dialogue open and share your ideas. Remember, we are all in this together, and only together will we win!
KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM!!
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LETTER FROM JIM WEITKAMP
CWA DISTRICT 9 VICE PRESIDENT
(CALIFORNIA, NEVADA & HAWAII)
WHERE'S THE FAIRNESS?
This simple, direct question is not just a slogan. It is a collective question by workers to their employer. Workers who know they can't get answers to questions like this unless they ask in unison. Workers who have been proud members of their union going back to 1947. Workers whose labor made this company what it is.
Why is the company so afraid of the question? Probably because our members are making it clear that they universally demand an answer backed up by actions. Probably because they know an honest answer would require a fundamental change in the company's behavior. Probably because they don't give a tinker's damn about what the workers demand to know.
The article linked below tells the tale. This company is a behemoth with unlimited power and money. AT&T buys politicians, pure and simple. AT&T believes it has the power to remove any remaining regulation that keeps them in check. AT&T is a school yard bully that no one stands up to.
EXCEPT US.
Over the past week AT&T has made a mockery of the concept of good faith bargaining. They made a proposal which we could not agree to in the terms they proposed. They gave us the finger and tried to do it anyway. Our members then stood strong and foiled the plan. AT&T is infuriated at this audacity.
The article (see below) documents their power, to be certain, but it also documents their hubris. Ken McNeeley is quoted as saying AT&T is a "good corporate citizen". Bah. AT&T over just the last two weeks has been fined for defiling the environment in California, sued by the state of Texas for dumping hazardous waste into the Guadalupe river (think about it--their behavior is so bad that TEXAS sued them, for pete's sake) and sued by the US government for fraud in their administration of service programs for the hearing impaired. All this at at the same time that they have adopted a greed based bargaining strategy that will harm not only our members but the entire working middle class.
We have been, through our mobilization, on the offense in these negotiations. Our members are strong and resolute. This makes the company shudder. How dare we ask these questions? How dare we we stand together? How dare we not just mindlessly cower and just do what we're told?
This is the height of chutzpah, but it not surprising coming from a corporation lead by filthy rich modern day robber barons. Where else but ATT can a disastrous decision that resulted in a 4 billion dollar give away, FOR NOTHING, end with the architect of that decision continuing to live in a walled compound, with security paid for by your labor, with annual compensation that can never be spent in a thousand life times? (In fairness, a concept unknown to this company, it happens in most of the corporations running the world these days.) That 4 billion dollar check was written without batting an eye. That 4 billion dollars could have settled this contract with money left to burn.
This is why we fight, and this is why we don't give up.
We will continue on the offensive until justice is achieved. The simple equation is this: our labor, delivered peacefully, for fair compensation, working conditions and dignity in the workplace. My job is to lead us through the actions we choose, evaluate the effectiveness of those actions and to change them when they are not leading us toward the compensation and conditions necessary to continue delivery of our labor. That buck stops with me, period. I do not ever take that responsibility lightly.
I am proud of all of the rank and file and the stands they are taking. We are fighting a powerful giant and we take our stands because they are right, not just to feel good.
The following words come from Jimmy Cliff, a wonderful singer and writer:
"The oppressors are trying to bring us down; trying to drive us under ground. But I'd rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave. As sure as the sun will shine, I will get my share; what is mine. The harder they come, the harder they fall, one and all."
In Solidarity,
Jim Weitkamp
P.S. - Check out this article from the LA Times, IT IS A MUST READ FOR ALL OF YOU: http://www.latimes.com/la-me-att-20120422,0,5002954.story
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AT&T CORE BARGAINING INFORMATION
CWA IS FIGHTING FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM!
OUR CONTRACT IS NOW EXPIRED!
CLICK HERE FOR AT&T CORE BARGAINING INFORMATION:
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INFORMATIONAL PICKET PICTURES
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Click HERE to see lots of great pictures from our many events!
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Crack Down on Overseas Call Centers!
SUPPORT THE CALL CENTER BILL IN CONGRESS
Right now you can help to crack down on overseas call centers by taking action in support of H.R. 3596, The United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill in Congress that is sponsored by Representatives Tim Bishop (D-NY) and David McKinley (R-WV).
H.R. 3596 takes three important steps to address off shoring of jobs and to protect not just the workers in the customer service and call center industries, but also U.S. consumers. Specifically, it would require:
- Creation of a “Bad Actor” List: Requires a public record of all employers that have relocated call center work overseas. Said companies would be ineligible for federal grants or guaranteed loans for five years after appearing on the list.
- Disclosure to Consumers: Requires relocated off shore center agents to disclose the center’s location.
- Transfer Rights: Customers would have the right to request their call be transferred to a customer service agent who is physically located in the United States.
We have a chance to take meaningful action now by supporting this bill!
Tell your Representative to sign on to support The US Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act right now. Take action NOW by going HERE and HERE.
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