Washington, D.C. – Today, United We Dream (UWD) and the United We Dream Workers Union are proud to announce voluntary recognition of the Communication Workers of America (CWA). This announcement comes after a neutral card check verifying that a majority of eligible staff showed their support for union representation. Immigrant labor movement leader Alvina Yeh, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), served as the designated neutral for the card check.
Sussan Lee, Managing Director of United We Dream, said:
“Today is a day to celebrate! This process will make our organization stronger as we continue our work to ensure dignity and justice for all immigrants. We are excited to work together with the UWD Workers Union and CWA to negotiate a contract guided by our shared values and our shared vision for the future.
In the last few years, our communities have faced relentless attacks, including attempts to gut programs that protect people from detention and deportation, attacking the human rights of women, people of color and LGBTQIA people, and making us feel unsafe in our homes.
For nearly 14 years, our staff and members have shown time and time again our courageous and unapologetic commitment to fight against these attacks and win permanent protections for our people. While we continue to fight, we will take care of each other, we will feel joy, and we will thrive.”
Anto Chávez, UWD employee and a leader on the union Organizing Committee, said:
“We’re so proud to win our new union today and join CWA. My coworkers and I started organizing because we believe all workers should have a seat at the table. These efforts have been led by and for immigrant workers of all backgrounds. This is a victory not just for us as UWD employees but for the entire labor and immigrant rights movements.”
Derrick Osobase, CWA District 6 Organizing and Political Director, said:
“CWA is overjoyed to welcome United We Dream staff into our union. The work that they do as an immigrant youth led organization is critical. UWD employees deserve a voice and a seat at the table. We’re happy that UWD management has welcomed their employees’ new union with open arms, and we look forward to negotiating a good union contract that strengthens UWD both for employees and the immigrant community at large.”
