Do you use FMLA? Do your kids use (or hope to use) the Hope Scholarship? CWA was very active in making these programs a reality and it is the money from COPE contributions that allows CWA to support our interests politically. Our working families are in the the fight of our lives now and through this November.

We need you to contribute just $1 per week to help us support the legislation that keeps our members safe and solvent. Think about how often you will spend more than $1 week at the breakroom vending machine or on a lottery ticket; this is money that has already paid off and will continue to pay off in the future. By contributing to COPE, you will be joining tens of thousands of other members in the state, as well as nationwide. As a result, we become real players in the political arena.

CWA can only use voluntary dollars to contribute to an endorsed candidate for federal office. No union dues money of any kind can be given to a political candidate for federal office or national political party. Funded by the voluntary contributions of CWA members, their family members and retirees, CWA-COPE provides financial contributions to worker-friendly candidates. Decent health care, overtime pay, safe working conditions, family-friendly workplaces, retirement security, freedom to organize are among the concerns influenced by the political process. CWA-COPE endorses candidates regardless of political party who supports working families.

Most recently, COPE contributions allowed us to defeat Anti-Overtime legislation that would have put our overtime pay and the 40-hour work-week at risk. Despite our efforts, the Department of Labor restructured the rules governing eligibility for Overtime pay at the urging of the current White House Administration. We have had an amendment to protect Overtime pay to the new Budget Resolution passed by a bi-partisan effort in House but it still needs to be passed by the Senate. Still, the President has vowed to veto the bill if it includes our amendment. Imagine vetoing an entire budget just to restrict your overtime money.

CWA-COPE also provides information to union families about the candidates and their positions on the issues affecting their lives. COPE money protected our jobs by keeping private-sector call-center work (i.e. Service-Rep Jobs) from being outsourced to State prisoners.

Working families can never match the contributions of Corporate America or the wealthy. Together we can combine our financial and voluntary resources to make a real difference in hundreds of key elections at the federal, state and local level. CWA-COPE offers workers the power to gain the attention of lawmakers to their agenda. CWA members, their family members and retirees are eligible to contribute to CWA-COPE. Where available, payroll deduction is a convenient, easy way to contribute. Individuals can download the Payroll Deduction Card [Acrobat 268K] and follow the instructions. Give your card to your CWA steward or local union officer to process. Local unions can download the card and make copies to sign-up members, or order payroll deduction cards from the Local Union Resource center.

In a representative democracy, many voices speaking together are louder than a single voice talking alone. Just as union representation gives workers a voice on the job to improve their lives, CWA-COPE is the workers voice in politics to improve their communities and nation. CWA-COPE makes politics work for working families.

This portion of the CWA Local 3204 website is paid for by the CWA Committee on Political Education - Political Contributions Committee, with voluntary contributions from union members and their families, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.