March 1, 2010
To: CWA Local Presidents
Subject: Ready for the Future CWA Strategic Plan
Dear Local Presidents:
Together in 2005, we started a union-wide dialogue to identify changes needed to make our union more effective. We accomplished that and a lot more. We all can be proud of the work we have done together over the past five years that has made our union stronger at every level and more effective in representing our members. Our strategic industry fund campaigns have been wildly successful, and thousands of activists and members have been trained and engaged in actions that are changing the game in our industries. Our Stewards Army continues to grow and make the difference in our fights. We have elected four at-large diversity board members, adding an important local voice to Executive Board deliberations, and we established a telecom office.
These first steps of our Ready for the Future plan have been so successful because at every level of our union, we acknowledged the critical need to develop a bold, forward-thinking response to the changes in society, the economy and our union. Together we acknowledged that moving forward was the only real option to keeping our union strong.
Now, that work continues.
Our nation and union face economic challenges that aren't going away any time soon, especially in terms of keeping and expanding quality jobs in every sector of our union. We've made great strides over the past five years, now it's time for additional action that will put our resources where they will make the most difference for our members.
We must continue to work together, to meet these new challenges head on, and to develop a plan that will keep our union moving forward. We don't have the option of doing nothing, and waiting for another day. We need to work strategically and effectively now to keep our union strong.
The Executive Board met on February 15 and 16, discussed next steps and adopted the following recommendations which continue the work begun at our 2005 convention and address the convention mandate of the Ready for the Future resolution regarding the "right sizing" of the Board by 2011 and the effective use of resources. These recommendations need to be acted on at the 2010 convention in order to be implemented in 2011.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts on these recommendations.
In Solidarity,
Larry Cohen, President
Jeff Rechenbach, Secretary-Treasurer
Annie Hill, Executive Vice President
