CWA Local 1102 Celebrates E-ZPass Contract Win

From left to right: Shop Steward Carmen Arroyo, Shop Steward Ashley Brown, Bertha Lewis (Founder and President of The Black Institute), CWA Local 1102 President Steve Lawton, and Shop Steward Quantae Walton.

On July 11, CWA Local 1102 held an event to celebrate E-ZPass workers' contract win, recognize their committed activists, and inspire more organizing at the workplace and in the community.

After many years of struggle, the committee has stepped up their activities.

It’s been a hard fight. In 2009, workers at the Staten Island E-ZPass call center contacted Local 1102 seeking union representation. Around the same time the company was going through a transformation as it was bought and sold to several corporations including Lockheed Martin, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), and finally the Xerox Corporation.

Xerox was determined to keep their business non-union, and workers’ initial attempts at unionization failed. Regardless of this loss, the worker committee moved forward with an organizing campaign to bring 300 workers at the location into the Union.

"All 'I's turn into 'We's because we are union" @dare2bdiverse@CWADistrict1#1u@slawton1102@sc015@cwabobmasterpic.twitter.com/djpIeWBNUJ

— Margarita Hernandez (@margarita0222) July 11, 2015

The company spent millions of dollars on its anti-union campaign, but the committee stood united and resisted the company’s efforts, winning recognition in 2010 and then a first contraction 2011.

However, the effectiveness of the company’s campaign, which included illegal terminations, captive audience meetings, surveillance on committee members and a decertification attempt before the 2nd contract, has had a long term effect on the union campaign.

After 6 years, the campaign is still considered an active and ongoing organizing campaign and the committee must remain vigilant against any future anti-union activity.

During the latest contract negotiations, workers won 10 paid sick days without discipline - using the NYC Paid Leave Act - and language that works to protect wages from management controlled policies.

Workers remain committed to the fight, and will do whatever it takes to keep moving forward.