More CWA Convention Coverage

Several CWA sectors and divisions met in Pittsburgh, Pa., prior to the CWA Convention. The Retired Members’ Council also held their annual meeting.

TNG-CWA

CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis gave rousing remarks to help open the 2025 NewsGuild-CWA Sector Conference, followed by delivery of the organizing report and a powerful video highlighting the work of NewsGuild-CWA members across North America fighting for their communities and better workplaces. NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss celebrated two years of record growth and organizing, crediting members for leading strikes, settling first contracts, and passing historic legislation to support journalism jobs. He pointed to the resilience of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strikers in the longest-running strike in America and warned of escalating attacks from employers and the Trump administration.

Click here to read a detailed account of the TNG-CWA Sector Conference.

IUE-CWA

IUE-CWA Industrial Division President Carl Kennebrew opened the division meeting with his State of the Union address, focusing primarily on why solidarity is essential at this moment and emphasizing the meeting’s theme, “Solidarity Begins With Us.” CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. and CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam were guest speakers. CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis welcomed the IUE-CWA delegates to his district and NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss reported on the Post-Gazette strike.

IUE-CWA delegates re-elected John Lewis as the Chairperson of their National Trustees and to serve as their sector representative on the Defense Fund Organizing Committee. IUE-CWA Local 89118 Secretary-Treasurer Megan Johnson and IUE-CWA Local 81266 President Antoine Marshall were also elected as National Trustees. IUE-CWA Local 84755 President Mike Gross, Local 86787 President Corne Jones, and Local 81408 Member Jose Taveras were re-elected to the IUE-CWA Executive Council.

NABET-CWA

At the Joint Regional Advisory Board meeting for NABET-CWA Regions 2 and 6, leaders covered issues of interest to the smaller “independent” locals that have contracts with individual stations in smaller cities.

New officers also attended a training covering everything from the history and structure of CWA and NABET-CWA to the duties of officers, properly conducting local elections, navigating the membership dues system, and local recordkeeping, as well as bargaining representational strategies.

CWA Retired Members Council

The CWA Retired Members Council (RMC), chaired by RMC National President Gwen Parker, met to discuss topics impacting our union’s veteran members, including healthcare, pensions, future CWA initiatives, current CWA contracts, and COPE.

CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis provided the opening remarks and focused on healthcare and threats to Verizon retiree’s healthcare caps. Almost every District or Sector Vice President, along with Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam, visited the meeting to show support. President Cummings and his staff attended the RMC Board Meeting the day prior.

A highlight of the meeting was the establishment of the Addie Brinkley Memorial Scholarship Fund for RMC members and their families. This award can be used for college and trade school tuition. In two days, RMC members raised over $3,000 by selling raffle tickets for two gift baskets at the CWA Convention. They also collected $3,500 in direct donations to the fund.

CWA District 4 RMC President Marcy Gregory stepped down from the Board after many years of exemplary service not only to her district but also to the entire RMC. Mark Pattison, RMC Media Sector Vice President, accepted a pin in recognition of 40 years of service by the NewsGuild-CWA at its sector conference.

In other convention news, CWA celebrated the work and lives of members who have passed since our last convention, including those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Following adjournment of the convention, CWA members, as well as CWA President Cummings, CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis, CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt, and NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss, rallied with striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers. Speaking to Post-Gazette strikers, Cummings said, “You have my commitment that we are going to continue to do everything we can to support you.”

 
CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. (second from right) stood with striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers during the convention and joined them at a rally directly following adjournment. Photo credit to Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.