CWA Sues West Virginia Over Public Workers' Rights

CWA District 2-13 and CWA Locals 2019, 2001, and 2055 joined the West Virginia AFL-CIO and seven other unions representing public workers in West Virginia in a lawsuit against West Virginia's billionaire Gov. Jim Justice over a state law that bans automatic dues deduction from public employees' paychecks. According to the lawsuit, filed on May 20, the so-called Paycheck Protection Act violates the state's constitution and workers' right to free speech.

"This law is a sham; it's not about protecting workers' paychecks," said CWA Local 2055 President Matthew Brock. "It's about gutting our unions and depriving us of our voice on the job. I'm proud that my union is standing up to Governor Justice and the state legislature to protect our rights at work."

Currently, no federal law protects the freedom of state and local public service workers to join a union and bargain collectively. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act (PSFNA) is part of CWA's agenda to build worker power in 2021 and beyond. The PSFNA would guarantee public service workers the right to a voice on the job, including the right to use voluntary payroll deductions for dues.