EZ-Pass Workers Stand Up With CWA

 In an NLRB vote of 144 to 126, with two challenges, Local 1102 won a groundbreaking election to represent 292 EZ Pass workers in Staten Island, NY. EZ Pass is a contracted service of ACS, Affiliated Computer Services.

The employer launched an especially brutal anti union campaign, but the 27 workers on the Organizing Committee held the group together thru publicly confronting management at every captive audience meeting, thru wearing buttons, and Red shirts every Thursday.

The workers approached CWA in October, but management delayed the election by forcing a Board hearing, and then by requesting a review of the decision (that they mostly won!). Ballots were impounded on May 28th, and were finally counted Friday June 26th 2009.

This win was truly a group effort. Local 1102 President Ed Luster,and Local 1032 Organizer Mikki Santiago worked on the campaign, with the help of the following Local 1102 activists: 1102 VP Ed Doyle, Treasurer John Maugeri, Azel "Bud" Colemen, Chief Stewards John Camera, Willy Fallon, Stewards Danny Foran, Jean Kassis, BA Steve Lawton,and  BA Damian Dalbero. Local 1109 EVP Chris Calabres lent a hand too.  Local 1037 Organizing Director Anne Luck-Soyak helped with phone banking during the GOTV, Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie helped to run the Housevisiting phase. Attorneys Amy Young and Atul Talwar helped with the hearing.

EZ Pass worker Barbara Elliot spoke at our Leg/Political conference on Wednesday before VP Joe Biden. She was part of a panel of workers describing the broken NLRB system.  You can watch her speech at www.cwa-1102.org