Inspiration from James
Local 6222
Standing United Are you ready to stand united in getting a new CWA/SBC Contract in ‘2004’? Well, I certainly hope so because being united is the most important step towards getting a good contract. A good contract can mean different things to different people, but in general, the most important issues you have talked to us about is wages, health care benefits and job security. We know there are other key issues to be discussed such as abusive monitoring, SMAART disability denials, stress in the workplace, outrageous sales objectives and a host of others. Trust me, these and other key issues will definitely be brought to the bargaining table. However, to be successful at the bargaining table, we have to be united. We all have a part to play in this movement. We can no longer afford to be observers of the movie. We need you in active roles to be successful. In other words, we want you in the movie, not watching the movie. Our key roles are organizers and mobilizers. We all need to help sign the nonmember, some who have mistakenly been removed from the Union when they went out on disability. So if you hear of someone being on a nonmember list that you feel was a member, please ask them to re-sign a Union card to correct our records. Remember only a Union member gets paid if we’re out on strike, through our Union’s Relief Fund. Mobilization is being able to let all our members know as quickly as possible what is happening in negotiations or what is needed to help with negotiations. The most important information needed from you is your home e-mail address. Please get that information in to the Union at 713-654-1115 as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so. The best way to be united is to know what we are uniting about. So please get us those home e-mail addresses as quickly as possible. We are going to be a part of the biggest contract negotiations in the country in ‘2004’ with over 100,000 employees involved in those negotiations. A lot of eyes will be on us as it was on Verizon in 2003. We must stay united as they were to get a decent contract. Remember our strength is in our numbers and we are 100,000 strong as long as we stay united. Experience tells us that good contracts are won in the workplace and in the community, not just at the bargaining table. The power we have at the negotiation table is a direct result of the information and education our members receive about the bargaining issues as well as their solidarity and activity. I want to thank you for the solidarity and the unity you have shown in the past and look forward to standing united with you again in the future. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and join you in praying that we enter the new year healthy, safe and united for the well being of ourselves and our families. Remember together we make a gigantic difference. In solidarity, James K. Henny, Vice President
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