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CWA: The High-Speed Union
The Communication Workers of American, or CWA,
is America's
largest communications and media union, representing over 700,000 men and women
in both private and public sectors. Part
of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of
Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization), the CWA membership can be found in
the a variety of industries: telecommunications, broadcasting, cable TV,
journalism, publishing, electronics and general manufacturing, airline customer
service, government service, health care, education and other fields.
As with all unions, the CWA is
committed to protecting worker
rights and ensuring their members are submitted to employment practices
that value the individual employees and their families. Yet, the CWA is also on the forefront of telecommunications
reform inside our nation. While most
United States
citizens do not recognize a problem within the telecommunications industry, the
CWA is dedicated to promoting communications education and awareness.
America has the largest economy in
the world, yet our technology is falling behind other developed countries at an
alarming rate. The US
is ranked 16th in broadband penetration – a number that is both surprising
and very unnecessary. CWA leaders want
legislation to reform current telecommunications policies so that America can
grow economically, create new technological jobs, and improve the overall
quality of living. They believe that a National
Broadband Policy is one way to overcome the technological deficit America is
facing. It would be a universal, affordable
way of connecting all businesses and households into a high speed data network
capable of providing any resource imaginable.
To see how the CWA hopes to achieve
this impressive feat, or for more information regarding the CWA international
union, please visit their site at www.cwa-union.org.
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