CODE-CWA Newsletter: May 2, 2025

Happy May Day from CODE-CWA!

CODE-CWAers attended May Day actions across the country to stand united in the fight for workers’ rights and human dignity amid relentless attacks from the Trump Administration and billionaire oligarchs like Elon Musk. 

Based on participant feedback, we’re updating our CODE-CWA training program! Going forward, we will be transitioning from two classes to three, with each course happening once a month.

• Class 1: Intro to Unions and Organizing
• Class 2: Organizing Your Coworkers 
• Class 3: Building Your Committee

Join us on Saturday, May 3 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET for an introduction to unions and organizing. All levels of experience are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Join us on Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET for a training on how to have productive organizing conversations with your coworkers.

Join us on Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET for a discussion on how to build an organizing committee and long-term growth of your union campaign. 

Microsoft’s Bargaining Delays Leave Video Game Workers Without Union Contracts Two Years Later

Video game workers at Microsoft subsidiary ZeniMax Media—represented by Communications Workers of America (CWA) Locals 2100, 2108, and 6215—are calling out Microsoft for the lack of progress toward a union contract.

“It’s become increasingly clear that although Microsoft tries to position itself as a good-faith employer, there’s another story being told behind the scenes at the bargaining table,” said ZeniMax Workers United-CWA Local 2108 member and Senior QA tester Autumn Mitchell. “We are frustrated. Our union will continue fighting until we secure a first contract, and we’re prepared to do whatever it takes—even if that means withholding our labor.”

Last month, ZWU-CWA union members overwhelmingly voted to call on leadership to authorize a strike, and members recently ramped up the pressure with rallies in Maryland and Texas. 

Read the full press release here.

The Hill Fires CWA-Represented Journalist to Avoid Trump Lawsuit

A bombshell report revealed that a journalist at The Hill was fired to satisfy Donald Trump and avoid a lawsuit over coverage of Truth Social’s financial troubles. Trump sued 20 outlets — but only The Hill caved.

Now, Nexstar, the company that owns The Hill, is moving ahead with layoffs that would gut 30% of the newsroom and target key coverage areas. Journalists say this isn’t just a business decision — it’s a continuation of the same political appeasement.

Nexstar leadership has reportedly referred to staff as “losers” behind closed doors while eliminating positions covering race, climate, and Latino communities. The company is reshaping the newsroom to align with political interests — and workers are speaking out.The Hill Guild is calling on Nexstar to halt the layoffs and protect independent, nonpartisan journalism. 

Read their statement here, and sign their petition here!

Content Moderators Form First Global Union Alliance

Content moderators, who shield billions of social media users from harmful and traumatic material, have formed the first-ever global trade union alliance to fight for living wages, safe working conditions and union representation in their industry. 

The Global Trade Union Alliance of Content Moderators, launched this week in Nairobi, Kenya, at an inaugural gathering of workers from nine countries, will hold Big Tech responsible for the low-wage, high-trauma jobs in their value chains.

Alphabet, Meta, TikTok and others outsource content moderation on their platforms to companies such as Accenture and Telus. Every day, these contracted moderators flag a mix of violent videos, hate speech and child-abuse imagery – but the work exacts enormous personal costs.

Read more from UNI Global Union here.

April 28, 1971 – Congress creates OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The AFL-CIO sets April 28 as “Workers Memorial Day” to honor all workers killed or injured on the job every year. 

May 1, 1886 – Eight-hour day demonstration in Chicago and other cities begins the tradition of May Day as an international Labor holiday.

Source.