Presidential Candidates vie for US Telecom Worker Endorsements
The Communications Workers of America is a labor union representing 700,000 people, mostly working for the largest US telcos. The CWA Legislative and Political Conference starts today in Washington, D.C. CWA has open platforms on Telecommunications Reform, Speed Matters (ubiquitous very high speed access for all) and a Consumers Right to Know in addition to the usual union issues.
Democrats bidding for CWA support (endorsements, votes, money, and volunteers) include:
- Senator and Presidential Candidate Joseph Biden (D-Del.)
- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean
- Representative and Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
- Senator Sherrod Brown
- Senator and Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-Ill.)
- Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
- Representative George Miller (D-Calif.)
- Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus
- Presidential Candidate John Edwards
- Representative and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC)
- Senator and Presidential Candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
No Republicans, apparently.
If you're live blogging, shooting video, or recording, please drop a link. The next president of the US may actually promise something interesting!
Technorati tags: skype, skypejournal, cwa, politics, policy, usa, unitedstates, communicationsworkersofamerica, dnc, dean, howardean, denniskucinich, sherrodbrown, barackobama, barack, obama, clairemccaskill, mccaskill, georgemiller, carolynkilpatrick, johnedwards, edwards, jamesclyburn, clyburn, hillary, clinton, hillaryrodhamclinton, nancy, pelosi, nancypelosi
Comments
Interesting... CWA is the group best positioned to benefit from a gated Internet. The CWA primarily (only?) represents workers at the big, bad old telco giants like AT&T and Verizon. If Dems are vying for a CWA endorsement, it sure doesn't bode well for open access advocates.
Posted by: k | March 25, 2007 06:00 PM
This would be a great event to pass out Skype starter packs, one for each union delegate.
Posted by: Phil Wolff | March 26, 2007 02:29 PM
The US would have had wide adoption of cell phones in the 1970's had it not been for the government. You say the next president may promise something interesting I say they may promise something that's terrifying.
Posted by: Chris Lindgren | March 27, 2007 05:14 AM
Phil --Sorry to rain on yr parade, but if these big telecom union members get their way w the politicians (Dem or GOP), those Skype starter packs will be most useful as drink coasters.
As you've probably noticed Big Telco is not real fond of disruptive technologies like Skype.
Posted by: K | March 30, 2007 11:15 AM