District 1 Conference held Sunday June 22 

  WE MUST TAKE BACK AMERICA! 

District 1 kicked it off this years convention with a Conference that was held on Sunday June 22.  Guest Speaker Morty Bahr President Emeritus whose 1st convention was in 1954 talked about the useful, necessary, satisfying work still left to do after retirement.  He is presently working on a project for housing for the elderly.  “We have to work on retirement with dignity how can you have dignity when you don’t have a decent place to live.”  The message from District One Vice President Chris Shelton became a re-occurring message through-out the week.  We must all participate in the coming elections in order to make a difference in working families’ lives. 

CWA LOCAL 1298 WEB PAGE RECEIVES AWARD

At the District 1 Conference CWA Local 1298 received an Award for its electronic communication through the CWA1298.org website.   Webmaster Miriam DiNicholas  has made a determined effort in the past two years to make this website more communicative with its innovative ways of informing the members.  Included in this communication are the individual web pages assigned to each department to be used to discuss department issues, this allows all officers to have an avenue of communication.    In addition useful options like the Members Only access for grievances, financial information, executive board minutes, and audio messages to the membership are made available to members of the local.  The ability to send mass emails to all who log in as authorized users has also become a effective way to communicate. 

Building A Political Movement  

This years Annual Convention was held in Las Vegas June 23-25.   

Monday June 21 President Larry Cohen kicked off the convention with a call to all delegates to make this coming year OUR year.  In President Cohen’s words “THIS IS OUR TIME”   The continuous message from every speaker was the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act.   There were nearly 2,500 delegates in attendance at this year’s convention and the officers of CWA Local 1298 were proud to be able to represent the members in our local.

 Endorsement of Barack Obama

One of the highlights of the convention included the resolution passed by the delegates to endorse Barack Obama as the next President of the United States.   Barack Obama  appeared on a teleconference video thanking us for the endorsement.  He pledged to not only support the Employee Free Choice Act but to also a government that was more respectful of the value of the working people and workers rights.  As Obama explained “It is not that this administration hasn’t been fighting for you but has actually tried to stop you from fighting for yourselves.”  President Larry Cohen called on the delegates to imagine a life a year from now out of the rule of the Bush Administration and under the Presidency of Barack Obama. 

Obama Addresses the delegates at the National Convention 

Million Member Mobilization

President Cohen talked about CWA’s Million member mobilization in which local 1298 has committed to get 15 % of our members to sign cards demanding passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.   These cards will be on display in the U.S. Capitol after November elections.  The goal is pass this important piece of legislation as soon as the new Congress takes office. We want to show the new president and Congress that there are one million people who want to give working families a fighting chance to get ahead.

 

SIGN THE PETITION NOW! 

 

 Election Results

 

Elections were  held this year at the 70th CWA Convention . President Larry Cohen (re-elected 2nd term, unopposed) Secretary Treasurer Jeff Rechenbach (past EVP, unopposed, succeeded Barbara Easterling who retired) Executive Vice President Annie Hill (un-opposed- succeeded Jeff Rechenbach)   Chris Shelton was re-elected  to the position of  District One Vice President of the executive board.  He defeated Karla Katz by an over whelming majority of delegates. Other election results include:   Ralph Maly  C&T  (unopposed) Brooks Sunkett –Public, healthcare and education workers (unopposed) Bill Boarman printing, publishing and media workers (unopposed) Ron Collins District 2 vice president (unopposed) Noah Savant District 3 vice president Seth Rosen District 4 vice president (unopposed) Andy Milburn District 6 vice president (unopposed) Louise Cadell District 7 vice president Tony Bixler  District 9 vice president Edward Mooney District 13 vice president (unopposed)   Last year the CWA Executive Board appointed four At-Large Exec Board   members in an effort to ensure that National Executive Board personifies the diversity in our union.    This year the delegates voted in the same four members:  All members ran un-opposed.    Carolyn Wade for NE Region Nester Soto for SE Region Claude Cummings for Midwest Region Madelyn Elder for West Region For more information on Election results click here.

 Barbara Easterling Retires

Barbara Easterling gave her last speech as Secretary - Treasurer looked back over the years and recognized the progress CWA and it's members have made in contributing to make this a strong and vital Union.  Barbara handed over the reigns at this convention to newly elected Secretary - Treasurer Jeff Rechenbach.

 

  Report of the Appeals Committee                

President Henderson and Treasurer Kalata found themselves in the precarious position of having to attend the National Convention early in order to meet with the Appeals Committee who was only available to locals on June 21 and 22.   CWA Local 1298 member Tricia Cristalli had filed a formal complaint against CWA Local 1298 Treasurer Glen Kalata, which was ultimately deemed meritless by the Appeals  Committee and upheld by the Convention floor.  Although this was time consuming and expensive for our local it was a necessary venture in order to uphold the integrity of CWA Local 1298. 

 When a complaint is filed against an officer the process allows for the following avenues:  

1.     CWA Local 1298’s Executive Board

2.    District Vice President Chris Shelton

3.     President Larry Cohen

4.     National Executive Board

 

In each step a full investigation must be done, and a determination must be made. In this case the determination was that there was no merit in the allegation.  This member decided to bring the charges through the entire process allowed in our Constitution. If still not satisfied with any of the replies, and because CWA is a democratic union a member may still pursue their complaint to:

5.     Appeals Committee  

The Appeals Committee will do an investigation and make an independent determination.   After careful review, the Appeals Committee recommended that the CWA Executive Boards decision be upheld and the appeal denied.  And yet there is still one more avenue to be heard.

6.     National Convention Floor (2000+ delegates) 

This appeal was ultimately and finally decided on the Convention Floor.  In a room of over 2000 delegates the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of upholding the Executive Boards decision.  Appeal denied.  Executive Board decision upheld.

 To see all appeals on the Convention Floor  click here:

 CWA Local 1298 Receives Organizing Award during this years

 70th Annual Convention 

CWA Local 1298 receives a $5000 award for fulfilling their commitment to organizing at least 100 members a year for five years.  Local 1298 gives thanks to our organizer,  Cindy Harrity, for her efforts. 
For more information on Organizing wins click here.