Today, International President John Costa convened a meeting to gear our Union up for an unprecedented campaign to grow the ATU in Virginia. Since 1977 Virginia has banned public sector workers like our members from having collective bargaining rights, but our Union helped to get that law changed.
“For the first time in generations, we have the right to sit across the table and negotiate. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build power,” Costa told our Locals 689-Washington, DC, 1220-Richmond, VA, and 1177-Norfolk, VA, attending the zoom. “We have a strong history in the state and will be mobilizing to show what ATU power looks like in Virginia.”
Joining Costa on the zoom along with our Virginia Locals were International Vice Presidents Anthony Garland and Amanda Sawyer-Turner and ATU staff to map out a strategic campaign to organize new members across the state.