CWA President Chris Shelton Named to Telecommunications Interagency Working Group

CWA President Chris Shelton has been named by Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh as the labor organization representative on the 12-person Telecommunications Interagency Working Group (TIWG). The TIWG was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to develop recommendations to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry as part of the Act’s historic investments in broadband.

“I appreciate the opportunity that Secretary Walsh has given me to represent workers in the telecommunications industry as a member of the Telecommunications Interagency Working Group,” Shelton said. “Fulfilling the Biden administration’s commitment to bringing high speed broadband to all Americans requires a well-trained workforce and jobs that promise careers -- not just short-term employment. I will be drawing on the firsthand experience of the tens of thousands of CWA members who work in the telecommunications industry, as well as those who have lost their jobs due to downsizing and are eager to return to the field.”

Secretary Walsh also named Kathy Gill, founder of Tower Safety, and Jim Simpson, Director of Installer-Technician (Telecommunications) at the Electrical Training ALLIANCE, to the Working Group. Workers at Tower Safety recently won voluntary recognition from management and joined CWA. In addition, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel nominated Kristi Westbrock, CEO/General Manager of Consolidated Telecommunications Company in Minnesota, as the rural telecommunications carrier representative. Workers at Consolidated Telecommunications are represented by CWA.

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