On Wednesday, May 6, 2015 CWA President Larry Cohen Wrote:
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Personally this is both a busy and emotional time for me as my ten years as President ends on June 8. I am confident that CWA leadership will remain strong at all levels and that our members will continue to lead the way as we Stand Up and Fight Back. This note is both to sum up where we are and to ask if you are willing to stay connected as I commit to build the movement for democracy and economic justice. As I said in September when I announced I would not run again, for me this is not about another job, but it is about continuing the work we are doing together in a different way.
Our collective bargaining work only intensifies in the weeks ahead as negotiations at AT&T, State of New Jersey, United Airlines, American Airlines, GE and Verizon and many other employers include more than 200,000 of our members. Our goal is to negotiate contracts that improve our standard of living as we unite under the banner of “It’s Our Turn.” Common sense economics teaches us that higher corporate profits without a rising standard of living do not work for the economy and certainly don’t work for us! Our bargaining serves the common good much more than the unchecked management excesses in the global economy.
Our work against Fast Track and the Trans Pacific Partnership should inspire us all for the years ahead. Thousands of our members are leading this campaign across the U.S. and Canada. From New York City to California, Florida to the Pacific Northwest, CWA leaders are mobilizing not only our union but their entire communities against the biggest trade threat ever to our jobs, our living standards and our environment. This work is now at a critical point as we will soon face Senate and the all important House vote on Fast Track. If we don’t stop Fast Track there is a much smaller chance of stopping TPP itself when it likely comes to the Congress later this year.
Staying Connected
So for me, no parties or special funds as I leave office. I appreciate so much your support but what would mean most to me is if we can stay connected in the years ahead. If you click here I will send you a column I will write once a month, much like what I have been doing for several years at Huffington Post. I mostly will be writing about democracy campaigns and issues, since that will be a big chunk of what I will be doing. More than ever, I believe we must get the money out and voters in even if our only focus is the next contract. We start out with a rotten deal and then try to play the hand. For workers without a union it’s even worse, largely the illusion of rights with little reality. How do we create a real path for workers’ rights? How do we build a 21st century democracy?
We are not starting from scratch in any of our states or towns or cities or even nationally. The kinds of connections we are making will help us with the next contract fight and in building the movement we need. I will stay committed to that fight and hope we can stay connected as well. I will write again before June 8th and see many of you in Detroit.
Solidarity Forever,
Larry
STAY CONNECTED W/LARRY COHEN HERE: http://bit.ly/1Ppi25I
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