CWA Fight Forward Training

CWA Local 1170 members Dianne Ostrander, Ronda Banks, Arnett Carter, Jarounda Gamble, and Laurie Robertson have volunteered to participate in the CWA Fight Forward Training taking place on March 7th.

Workers’ Rights are Human Rights: The Fight Forward

The Communications Workers of America has a long and proud history standing at the forefront of the fight for social and economic justice for all Americans. CWA’s active participation in the democratic struggle for civil and human rights has helped build strong progressive alliances in our communities and deepened our members’ activism in their Union. At this pivotal time, we cannot afford for Human Rights to be merely a department within CWA; the work of human rights must be woven into the DNA of everything that we do as a union.

In response to this current climate of deep divisions along racial and socio-economic lines, CWA STRONG will incorporate the Fight Forward program, a Human Rights Committee initiative. Fight Forward is founded on the belief that human rights can be used as an instrument to bridge division, this program will focus on building power through local activism and mobilization. In order to stem the dangerous assaults on the working class and to move forward toward a more just and equitable society, we must build a broad-based grassroots movement. Fight Forward will draw on the expertise and resources of the Human Rights Department and our national Human Rights Committees to grow and strengthen local human rights committees. The local committees will be the driving force behind civil and human rights programming in order to build strong relationships with a broad base of community partners.

Moreover, by focusing our program on human rights issues – which encompasses issues such as the right to vote, equal access to quality and affordable health care, paid family leave, protections against racial violence, economic equity, and more – the Union will be seen by members and non-members as an organization that fights for them on issues and values they care deeply about, not only in the workplace, but also in their communities. By positioning the union as the vehicle for change on these issues of social and economic justice and democracy, CWA creates a potent tool to activate members as well as engage non-members in our Union.

Resolved: As part of CWA STRONG, CWA Districts and locals will rededicate themselves to the mission to build and support in every Local active Human Rights Committees, which includes the Women’s Committee and the Civil Rights and Equity Committee.

Resolved: CWA members, local officers and staff pledge to attend Human Rights Fight Forward training sessions and to adopt local human rights fights in their communities in partnership with progressive allies.

Resolved: Local CWA Human Rights Committees will actively partner with progressive community allies to build activism and power through training, organizing, and political action.

Resolved: Every CWA Local will commit to include the broader community in our local struggles for justice, democracy, dignity and respect for all.