Category: CWA

In June, CWA District 1 and NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003) activists, along with allies from the New York State AFL-CIO, the Writers Guild of America East, SAG-AFTRA, the Directors Guild of America, the Freelancers Union, the Writers Guild of America West, and other unions, scored a major victory in the fight against misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). The New York State Legislature passed a bill requiring news organizations to disclose when AI is used to generate content.

The New York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act, or NY FAIR News Act, passed both chambers and is now on its way to N.Y. Governor Hochul’s desk for her signature. The bill, numbered S.8451-B/A.8962-B, was sponsored by Senator Patricia Fahy and Assemblymember Nily Rozic.

CWA District 1 political activists lobbied on the bill during their four lobby days in Albany, N.Y., as part of their district’s legislative agenda. Members of the NewsGuild-CWA pushed for the AI legislation alongside the Writers Guild. CWA members and retirees also participated in a press conference led by Senator Fahy and Assemblymember Rozic at the state capitol.

With intense opposition from several employer associations already underway, CWA and coalition partners plan to send letters to the governor in support of the bill and will ramp up political activity closer to the December signature deadline.

Earlier this month, members of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) announced their intention to join the Canadian Media Guild (CWA Canada Local 30213). Workers filed with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) after a supermajority of the staff signed union cards. These workers are based across Canada with their main office in Manitoba.

APTN is a national Indigenous media organization, sharing programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples at home and abroad. This year it was nominated for 38 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best National Newscast and Best Comedy Series.

The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) represents 6,000 workers in the Canadian media sector. CMG represents a majority of the workers at APTN and has offered both guidance and resources to assist this newest cadre in their campaign for a voice in their workplace.

“APTN is a national treasure,” said CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth. “It’s the only network in Canada dedicated to telling stories for and by Indigenous people. It has been recognized globally for exposing the poverty and racism Indigenous people face. CWA Canada is proud to represent and support their work.”

In their mission statement, APTN workers stated, “As a community, we believe every employee deserves healthy and safe working conditions, guidance and support from their managers, the trust and independence to do their best work, and most importantly, flexibility to care for their families and communities.

“By coming together, we strengthen our ability to support one another, advocate for our wellbeing, and create a sustainable future for the people who make APTN possible.”

On Monday, workers at the nonprofit organization Wikimedia Foundation, which hosts Wikipedia and sister projects, officially requested voluntary recognition of their union, Wiki Workers United U.S.-CWA (WWU-US/CWA). This request comes from a supermajority of union-eligible workers who have signed union authorization cards.

The announcement follows a similar request for voluntary recognition made by WWU-UK, the United Kingdom branch of WWU, represented by the United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW), a national branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Workers are concerned over issues of transparency, trust, and the organization’s future. They are calling on the Foundation to uphold its stated values and its recent public commitments supporting the right to form a union.

Over 1,100 volunteer editors, who help keep Wikipedia functioning, have signed a petition showing their solidarity with the Wikimedia workers and affirming their “willingness to engage in collective action if called upon by WWU, up to and including staging an editorial strike.”

Click here to learn more about WWU-US/CWA workers’ fight for a long-deserved voice.

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Wiki Workers United U.S. (WWU-US)/Communications Workers of America (CWA) demanded voluntary recognition from the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that hosts Wikipedia and sister projects. This request comes from a supermajority of union-eligible workers who have signed union authorization cards. WWU-US is organizing with the CWA to represent eligible U.S.-based workers.

WWU-US/CWA has set a deadline of Friday, July 24th, for the Wikimedia Foundation to respond to its request for voluntary recognition.

Recent events at the Wikimedia Foundation have drastically escalated worker concerns regarding transparency, trust, the organization’s future, and leadership’s commitment to the free knowledge movement. The Foundation’s workers call on the organization to uphold its stated values and recent public commitments supporting the right to form a union [1][2], giving workers a promised and long-deserved voice.

This announcement follows a similar request for voluntary recognition[3] made by WWU-UK, the UK branch of WWU, represented by the United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW), a national branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU). Together, the two branches reflect a growing movement among Wikimedia Foundation workers to establish collective bargaining through the legal frameworks available in their respective countries.

WWU-US/CWA also extends its sincere gratitude to the volunteer community. Over 1,000 volunteers and community members who have collectively made more than 15 million edits have publicly signed petitions supporting Wikimedia Foundation workers and affirming the importance of giving workers a meaningful voice in shaping the future of the movement[4][5]. The WWU Organizing Committee is deeply appreciative of this extraordinary demonstration of solidarity.

“We are hopeful that the Wikimedia Foundation will honor their stated values and quickly come to the table so that we can verify that an overwhelming majority support the union. We are proud to support this group of dedicated and talented workers. We are also deeply grateful for the strong solidarity of the volunteer community, the backbone of Wikipedia and its sister projects, that has pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with these brave workers.” – Tim Dubnau, Organizing Director, Communications Workers of America

“We congratulate our colleagues in the United States on reaching this important milestone. While labour law differs between our countries, our shared goal is the same: ensuring Wikimedia Foundation workers have a meaningful voice in shaping their workplace.” – John Chadfield, National Officer, Communication Workers Union

Wiki Workers United is a global solidarity union of Wikimedia Foundation workers committed to strengthening worker voice, transparency, equity, and shared stewardship. The WWU-US/CWA branch represents eligible U.S.-based workers seeking collective bargaining rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

For more information: https://wikiworkersunited.org

[1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:BMeehan-WMF#Update_from_Bernadette_May_24
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Village_pump_(WMF)&diff=prev&oldid=1355455480 
[3] https://utaw.tech/news/wikipedia-recognition 
[4] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Workers_United#Individuals 
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wiki_Workers_United_solidarity#Signatures 

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion

Press Contact

CWA Communications

(202) 434-1168

comms@cwa-union.org

AT&T SW – Make the Most of Your Negotiated Benefits

As inflation continues to impact household budgets, it is more important than ever to make the most of every available benefit. District 6 Leadership encourages all members to review and take advantage of the benefits and programs secured through negotiations.

With Annual Enrollment only a few months away, employees should begin reviewing their current medical coverage and benefit elections. To help members make informed decisions, we will provide monthly updates through the end of Annual Enrollment that can be shared during Membership and Steward meetings. These communications will highlight available benefits, resources, and opportunities throughout the enrollment period.

Members participating in the Company’s Wellbeing Program still have time to complete eligible activities and earn incentives. Preventive screenings must be completed by September 16 to allow time for processing, and all wellbeing activities must be completed and logged by December 16 to count toward the current year’s incentives. Additional information can be found in the Company’s Wellbeing Incentive Bargained Program Job Aid.

For questions regarding a denied or missing Wellbeing claim, members should contact the Benefits Center. Representatives can explain why a claim was denied or identify any missing information. The Benefits Center can be reached at 877-722-0020 or through a help request under “Your Help Requests” in the “Quick Links” section of the Benefits Center homepage.

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