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Last week, CWA members and retirees from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for two events: the Presidents’ Meeting and the Legislative and Political Conference.

CWA Local presidents and members of the CWA Executive Board began with the Presidents’ Meeting on Monday, June 1. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. updated attendees on the current state of our union and plans for continued organizing in our core telecommunications sector. Presidents had the chance to debate and vote on pressing issues from the Credentials, Appeals, and Finance committees. CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam also delivered her Financial Report.

The following day, President Cummings opened the two-day Legislative and Political (LP) Conference, which featured a host of notable speakers, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sen. Ruben Gallego (AZ), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Members also heard from Minnesota Representative and AFA-CWA member Kaela Berg (MN-55B), who is running for Congress in MN-02, campaigning on a pro-union, pro-worker platform.

President Cummings spoke fiercely against attempts by the current administration to disenfranchise millions of American voters after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. “We are seeing, in real time, white supremacists gerrymandering Black districts out of existence, stripping voters of their rights,” said Cummings. “All because they know their anti-worker, anti-family policies will never win votes from the majority of Americans.

“You may have heard me say this before, but I keep a slip of paper from the so-called ‘good old days.’ It’s my father’s poll tax receipt. In those same ‘good old days,’ Black people who wanted to exercise that most basic right had to pay to be able to vote. Today they call it the SAVE Act, but it’s the same. People who can barely make ends meet being asked to find money for passports and certified birth certificates.

“The right to vote is precious. It should never be taken for granted, and we should never allow it to be taken away at all. We will not go back to those dark days.”

Click here to watch President Cummings’ Legislative and Political Conference speech in its entirety.

NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003) members at global mass media company Condé Nast ended May with a momentous win for members. In November, the company illegally fired four Condé United leaders and suspended five other union members after they confronted the boss to demand answers about abrupt layoffs and the closure of Teen Vogue. These terminations were a blatant act of retaliation and an attempt to silence union journalists holding power to account.

Three of four members fired were reinstated as employees in good standing, awarded significant financial settlements, and had all disciplinary records expunged. They subsequently chose to resign on their own terms. A fourth Condé United leader declined a lesser settlement offer from the company. His case is still pending before the National Labor Relations Board.

The five illegally suspended workers received back pay and were cleared of all wrongdoing with their disciplinary records expunged.

“Our fight as a union is about more than a single contract; it is about ensuring workers’ rights to a just workplace,” said TNG-CWA Local 31003 President Susan DeCarava. “When employers attempt to undermine our rights, we will organize, fight back, and hold them accountable. This settlement sends a forceful message: workers united in solidarity have the power to push back against bullying, union-busting bosses, and to demand their workplaces be governed by respect rather than fear.”

Congratulations to our vindicated NewsGuild members!

On June 4, 2026, CWA Human Rights Committee members Vonda Wilkins, Antwan Marshall, and Timmia Wiley testified before the District of Columbia Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment in support of the Eric’s ID Amendment Act.

The proposed legislation would allow individuals with hidden or non-apparent disabilities to voluntarily display a butterfly symbol on their identification cards. The symbol would serve as a discreet way to alert first responders, law enforcement officers, and others that the individual may have a disability that is not immediately visible, helping to foster greater understanding, communication, and safety.

Wilkins, Marshall, and Wiley were joined by eight additional CWA Human Rights Committee members from across the country who stood in solidarity to advocate for the bill. Together, they shared testimony highlighting the importance of creating more inclusive communities and ensuring that individuals with hidden disabilities are treated with dignity and respect.

The CWA Human Rights Department is proud of the members who took action and spoke out in support of the Eric’s ID Amendment Act, helping to advance a safer and more accessible future for people with hidden disabilities.