The following organizations have a need to reduce force and have offered the Enhanced Income Security Plan (EISP) to employees:

• Network Operations, Ki Wilson, Director—Frame Attendant, COT
• Public Communications, Larry Stevens, Director—Coin Collector
• National Operations, Michaelle Fleisher, Director—Sys. Tech., Mgr. Clk.
• VPS, Kim Hylton, Director—Sr. Voice Mail Clerk
• VPS, Richard Williams, Director—General Clerk
• Real Estate, Steve Wingent, Director—Bldg. Attendant, Ofc. Clerical Asst.
• Supply Chain Services, Mark Lindsay, Director—Master Automotive Equipment Tech. & Automotive Equipment Tech.

Volunteers will be accepted as necessary to meet business needs. Packages will be mailed to employees beginning May 6, 2009. The volunteer period will begin May 12, 2009.

Volunteers whose applications for the EISP are accepted will have an off the payroll date of June 27, 2009.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2009, the Communications Workers of America and Catholic Charities of Washington, DC reached a new 3-year tentative agreement in negotiations that began back in the beginning of April. The current contract which was marked to expire on April 30, 2009 was extended by the parties until midnight May 7, 2009 because of the progress made leading up to the initial deadline.

Of course, the economic climate of our nation made this tough round of negotiations with Catholic Charities even more difficult. Since the economic shortfall of the Agency, at the moment, hampers their ability to agree to not more than a 3.5% wage increase over the life of this tentative 3-year agreement, we were successful in obtaining their written agreement to re-open negotiations for wages prior to the 1-year anniversary of this agreement to discuss possibly raising this percentage in final two years of the agreement.

The Union was also successful in fighting off all other retrogressive demands of the Agency including the maintaining of the cost-of-living language in the new contract.

Details of the new tentative agreement will be communicated to the membership for their review and ratification within the next 2 weeks.

The new rates for on call pay ($28 to $32) will be available in the system on June 10^th.  Any employee who has been paid the old rate since February 8^th will be eligible to have the increase paid retroactively. 

Instructions have been provided to the field as to how to process this pay on or after June 10, 2009.  When the historical edits are entered on or after June 10^th and before June 13^th, the retroactive pay will be included on the employees’ paycheck to be issued June 19, 2009. Any historical edits entered between June 14^th and June 27^th will be paid on the July 2^nd paycheck.

This year’s joint Convention and legislative conference will bring thousands of CWA activists to the U.S. Capitol at just the right moment.  The Employee Free Choice Act will likely be marked up in May and be in play in June.  On June 25, Washington, D.C., will host the largest ever demonstration for health care reform—and CWA will be a big part of it.

More than 2,500 CWA members walking the halls of Congress will be a show of force and solidarity not seen before. With this opportunity to take our issues directly to our representative and senators, we can face-to-face hold our elected officials accountable for the votes and decisions they’ve been making.

Of course, we’ll take up important issues and conduct our union’s business at convention, but being in Washington, we’ll also hear from public officials from the Obama administration, key regulatory agencies and, of course, members of Congress who affect working families’ jobs, benefits and future.  We’ll set our strategy to move forward on our agenda for positive change for working families.

Some of the highlights of this year’s Convention and Legislative-Political Conference:

• Convention speakers that include top Congressional leaders and Administration officials on our key issues.
• On Wednesday, June 24, an army of CWA members, 2,500 strong, will meet on Capitol Hill with elected officials and their staffs on our critical issues—Employee Free Choice Act, health care reform, jobs, fair trade and retirement security.
• Reception on Wednesday, June 24 at the Rayburn House Office Building with invited Members of Congress.
• On Thursday, June 25, we’ll join our partners in the Health Care Action Network—Unions, religious, community, women’s and civil rights groups as well as others committed to universal health care—in a major demonstration on Capitol Hill.
• Distribution of materials and information on how to continue to take our message to elected officials back in home districts.

Join Congresswoman Norton on Tuesday, May 13th for her Annual Small Business Fair and learn how to connect to the economic stimulus opportunities headed to the area.

Seating is first-come, first-served.  Advanced registration accepted until May 8th.  The only way to guarantee a place at this free-of-charge event is to register by immediately faxing or mailing your completed Registration Form to Congresswoman Norton's Congressional District Office at 529 14th Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20045-1928, FAX:  (202) 783-5211 

Over 60 supporters attended the annual Gloria Johnson Awards Luncheon – which is sponsored by the Metro DC Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) – on Sunday, when Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams and Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO President Fred Mason were honored. "Some men have been instrumental in helping advance the status of women workers," said Brenda Savoy-Bushrod, President of the local chapter. "We should recognize their efforts, just like we do our women champions," she added. Gloria Johnson, President Emeritus of the National CLUW, noted that "These two gentlemen have fought our fight for many, many years and their leadership has been greatly appreciated." Accepting his award, Williams thanked the many women who had been instrumental in his own life and had shaped his leadership of the labor council.  He stressed that it's "critical" for CLUW to redouble its efforts and activism locally "as the fight for fair and equal treatment of all workers is not yet over.