CWA Shop Stewards in New Jersey Gear Up to Defeat Anti-Worker "Freedom Foundation"

CWA members in New Jersey are fighting back against an assault by the anti-union, anti-worker, Freedom Foundation, which recently launched a 50-State campaign to destroy public sector unions. The Freedom Foundation’s New Jersey attack began in earnest last week when they sent mail to members’ homes and work email addresses urging them to drop out of their union.

CWA responded to this assault by holding zoom trainings with our Shop Steward Army which is made up of several hundred active worksite leaders throughout the State of New Jersey. During these trainings, CWA Shop Stewards learned what the Freedom Foundation is, who funds them, and why they are trying to destroy public sector unions.

They discussed why an organization would spend tens of millions of dollars to urge members to drop out of their unions. Organizations like the Freedom Foundation know that together workers have power and they want to take that power away from us. They don’t want to pay fair wages, provide affordable health care, provide defined benefit pensions or put up with workers fighting together for a healthy and safe working environment. These worksite leaders prepared themselves to answer members’ questions and to talk to their co-workers about the reasons they are “Sticking With My Union” and why all CWA members should do the same.

These trainings are a continuation of our efforts to prepare our CWA Steward Army to build power in their workplaces through organizing. CWA held 12 hour health and safety trainings throughout the pandemic, and trained over 1,000 stewards and activists to help keep our worksites as safe as possible. CWA members stood together and we protected jobs throughout the biggest economic downturn in our lifetimes. These things would not have been possible without a union.

CWA is one of the strongest and most effective unions because we live by our motto “CWA Strong” and our members understand the importance of standing together in solidarity and fighting off attacks whether they come from employers, politicians or billionaires and wealthy corporations hiding behind organizations like the Freedom Foundation. CWA members in New Jersey are ready to fight back. Workers united can never be defeated!