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My experience with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) began in July of 1998.
At that time I came to a telco from their cellular division. When I was hired by the telco, the company's representative assured me the time in service I had accrued with Cellular would carry over to the Com operation, and that overtime was an occasional occurrence. On this basis, I accepted a position with them.
Training was to take 8 weeks, and the Union mandated training wage was little more than pauper's wages. Meager as that was, it got worse when, one month into training, the Union went out on strike. (July 1998)
Our union leaders made big speeches, fed us a fabulous lunch of stale bread with a piece of baloney slapped on it, a bag of chips, and, oh, and lets not forget no name soda. Nevertheless, I rallied to the cause, walked extra picket duty, listened to my union brothers tell their stories of being in the trenches. Meanwhile, our union stewards beat the drums of malcontent and told of the power of the union.
What bullshit. I was so gullible.
Gullible no more
In the beginning I was gullible and believed in what they said. During the strike and throughout the training which, delayed by the strike, many company foul ups and union bendovers, stretched out from 8 weeks to 14 weeks, I persevered.
Then the company informed me my time in service with Cellular would not carry over. This news was unsettling, but I knew the union would back me up.
December 1998, I had a heart attack that made it glaringly apparent I needed to have my seniority so I could get the time to get back on my feet; yet, the union refused to help.
Almost a year has gone by, and I am very bitter about the months I wasted, locked in a battle between a company that didn't care and union that cared less. Repeatedly the union told me, "We have no control over this matter." Yet they are the ones who hold seniority as the standard.
If seniority is the standard, then why was it so hard for them to help a union brother who diligently walked the line during the strike? Guess the speeches were just speeches, the stories just stories, and the union? Well, I am with another Teleco now, and I'm happier, healthier, gullible no more and fighting the union all the way.
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