April 2019 Newsletter #13

News from CWA Local 3640

CWA Local 3640 Representing American Airlines Reservations Agents in Winston Salem, NC attended the District 3 Conference in Savannah, GA. February 24-27, 2019.

We were given the opportunity to say our farewells to John Quinn, District 3 Counsel. He will be retiring but promised us he would bring his bagpipes back!!  

Darla Meyer, Secretary/Treasurer, Lisa Zeiset, Area Vice President,

John Quinn, Retired District 3 Counsel

Enjoying our time on the Convention Floor.

Keedren Gantt – Executive Vice President, Vickey Hoots – President
Darla Meyer – Secretary/Treasurer

District 3 Woman of the Year

Misty Robertson is CWA District 3’s 2019 Woman of the Year.  She is an example of exemplary leadership in every endeavor in which she is involved.  She is a second-generation CWA member and has held onto her strong union principles throughout her life.  Misty started her career in 1993 with Operator Services.  Her career migrated to a Service Representative from 1998-2000, Testing Technician from 2000-2007, and Electronic Technician from 2007 to present.  Her true passion is being a mentor and helping others find their strengths.  Misty has served in the following leadership roles:

* Current President of Gateway Woman’s Club of Clarksville which is a branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. This group Promotes Unity and Diversity for women throughout the world.

* Presides on the Loaves and Fishes Fund Raising Board.  Loaves and Fishes serves as a distribution center for food and supplies to surrounding communities as well as providing lunch to people 6 days a week.

* Current President of the Clarksville Labor Association, which was formed to show union presence within the Clarksville area.

* Current President of the Middle TN Pioneers Council where she brings AT&T management and CWA members together through community projects.

* Currently 2nd Vice President of the Pioneer State Chapter

* Currently presides as the Tennessee CWA State LPAT Coordinator, where she serves as a registered lobbyist and works tirelessly to fight for our voices to be heard.

* Over the past two years her state has more than doubled in PAF contributions and held the

highest legislative and political volunteer shifts throughout the District for two years in a

row.

* She serves on her Local’s Human Rights Committee.

• Currently partners with the Women of AT&T to assist with job and college fairs, where she provides tools and resources to women in order to help advance in their areas of interest.

A Maya Angelo quote provides an accurate description of Misty’s actions:

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”

Robert Fordham, Misty Robertson, Richard Honeycutt

Richard Honeycutt & Misty Roberson

Alabama LPAT

Alabama CWA locals were well represented at the state capitol in Montgomery. Leaders from locals all over the state joined together as the CWA cook team during the 11th Annual Alabama AFL-CIO Legislative Roadkill BBQ. The event has become widely attended by legislators and other high profile elected officials. This year the CWA tent saw visitors including the Secretary of State, Senate Majority & Minority Leaders, House Minority Leader and the Alabama Chief of Staff to Sen. Doug Jones to name a few. CWA leaders also suited up the next day and met with Rep. Tim Wadsworth who has sponsored HB94, mirrored by SB110 in the senate. Along with the call center bill, leaders who stopped by the tent were informed on At&t’s broken promises and 4 committed to drafting a letter to Randall Stephenson calling for a fair contract during District 3 bargaining later this year.

Pictured:
State Staff Rep. Isa Shabazz, State LPAT Coordinator Jason James (3907-Mobile)
Michael Sizemore (3901-Anniston), Danny McDuffie (3904-Gadsden)
Frank Clark (3905-Huntsville), Ken McKenzie (3905- Huntsville)
Ra-Amon Ta-Neter (3907-Mobile), Keith Patterson (3908 - Montgomery)
Bruce Hembree (3909-Sylacauga)

Alabama Call Center Workers Meet With Legislators

Call center workers and LPAT activists from the At&t/Directv call center in Huntsville, AL visited the legislature in Montgomery, AL. Among the items discussed were support HB94/SB110 to Save Call Center Jobs and opposition to SB193/HB364 which will lower unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 13 weeks with a maximum of 20. SB193 passed out of senate committee and head’s to the full senate while HB364 has at least temporarily been placed on hold by the house sponsor following the meeting with these CWA members.                                                                            

Pictured:

Alabama LPAT Coordinator: Jason James
Elizabeth Burney, Mustafa Hassan, Ashley Loosier, Bryant Stone
 Rep. Danny Garrett, Rep. Harry Shiver, Rep. Tim Wadsworth

News from CWA Local 3905

Civil rights & Equity D3

Mustafa Hassan, the local Organizer, Chair of political committee, and the State Data coordinator for LPAC along with Crystal Hart chair of The Women’s committee for local# 3905(Huntsville,Al). chartered a bus and took a trip from their local in Huntsville to Selma, Al on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday. CWA members visited the Edmund Pettus Bridge and participated in the 54th anniversary of the bridge crossing. The original crossing is what sparked the Voting Rights act of 1965.

News From CWA Local 3204

Hello my sisters and brothers.

I would like to began by saying "it is a honor being your District 3 Women's Committee Chair. We have a lot of work to do and I am confident that we will conquer the big challenge before us. I have not yet had the opportunity to schedule our first conference call to meet and discuss how we will together accomplish our committee goals, however I will reach out to you soon with the date and time for the call.

Just to keep you informed on events that are up and coming; the Atlanta CWA Local 3204 Women's Committee has a community outreach event on May 9, 2019. The committee will be visiting the DeKalb County Jail, Metro Women's Correctional Transitional Facility, A Group Home for Pregnant Mothers, The Pruett Nursing Home and a Homeless Shelter, providing gift bags, snack bags, toiletries and under garments. I am looking forward to adding other events from the Women Committees within our District 3 to upcoming newsletters. Please let me know when your Women's Committee has an event.

There are a number of conferences coming up that you may be interested in attending in the coming months. Scholarships are being awarded to cover a portion of the cost. The conferences are APALA-Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance August 8-11 Las Vegas NV, APRI A Philip Randolph Institute August 7-12 Bloomington MN, CBTU Coalition of Black Trade Unionist May 21-May 27 Atlanta GA, CLUW Coalition of Labor Union Women October 15-October 18 Las Vegas NV, LCLAA Labor Council of Latin American Advancement, date to be determined in 2020, and NAACP National Association of Advancement of Colored People, July 20-July 24. If you are interested in receiving an application for the scholarship consideration please email me and I will forward an electronic copy to you. The application has to be received 45 days prior to the date of conference.

Everyone is invited to join the District 3 Women's Committee. If you are interested please send me your name, local, telephone number and email so that I can invite you to the conference calls and emails.

I am excited and looking forward to us working together.

Your sister in unity

Yolanda Pearson
District 3 Women Committee Chair
office 404 614-3714
cell   678 822-2993
email d3womens@yahoo.com