About Us
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CWA Local 1085 was originally chartered by the Communications
Workers of America in 1972 to represent employees
at the Gloucester County Welfare Board (now the Board
of Social Services). Over the years it has expanded
by organizing a wide variety of other public employees.
In 1996 CWA Local 1041, located in Salem County, merged
into Local 1085. Today Local 1085 represents approximately
1600 county, state, and municipal employees in Gloucester
and Salem Counties. |
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Local
1085 is governed by its members through regular membership
meetings, pursuant to the Local Bylaws. The chief executive
officer is the President, who oversees the day-to-day affairs
of the Local. The President, Executive Vice President, and
Secretary-Treasurer are all elected at large. In addition,
the Local leadership includes various Vice Presidents and
Chief Stewards, who represent their respective bargaining
units. Together these officers constitute the Local
Executive Board, which meets monthly to conduct Local
business.
The union’s fundamental responsibility is to establish
salaries, work schedules, benefits, protections, etc. by negotiating
with each employer. These terms and conditions of employment
are then set forth in a union contract.
Over the years, Local 1085 has obtained substantial pay increases,
along with improvements in such areas as health insurance,
retirement benefits, educational assistance, and disciplinary
protections, to name only a few.
In the workplace itself, union representatives are mainly
responsible for seeing that the contract is followed and that
workers are treated fairly by management. Problems that can
not be resolved informally may be addressed through the grievance
procedure. In addition, the union frequently represents
employees in
civil service matters, including
disciplinary, classification, and examination appeals. Still
another concern of the union is to insure that
health
and safety issues in the workplace are properly addressed.
As part of its representational duties, the union also educates
employees about their rights, benefits, and protections. In
addition to contractual entitlements, Local 1085 provides
consultation to employees about a wide variety of subjects,
including family and medical leave rights, anti-discrimination
laws, pensions, civil service rights, OSHA protections, etc.
If necessary, workers’ rights may be pursued by filing
grievances, appeals, administrative complaints, or litigation.
For more information, see Know Your Rights.
Besides fighting for employees in the workplace, the union
is active outside the workplace as well. Local 1085 works
with CWA and other labor organizations in promoting legislation
on behalf of workers and their families, both in Congress
and in the New Jersey Legislature. The union
also uses political action to work for candidates who represent
the interests of union members. One important way in which
members can help is by contributing to CWA-COPE,
the union’s political action fund.
For
more information, visit Political
Action.
As individuals, members of Local 1085 are active in many different
areas of community service. The Local also supports community
services through such avenues as the Public Employee
Charitable Campaign and the Pediatric
AIDS Foundation.
If
you are employed in a bargaining unit represented by Local
1085 but are not already a union member, we urge you to sign
up and participate in your union. Membership application cards
can be obtained from your steward or
through the Local office.
If
you do not have a union but are interested in CWA, you may
contact Local 1085 or visit CWA’s Organizing
Department.
CWA
Local 1085 is a member of the New
Jersey AFL-CIO and the Southern
New Jersey AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. Local 1085 is
also a member of the
CWA Welfare Locals Council.
Local President Richard Dann serves as an Executive Vice President of the Central Labor Council and as Chair of the CWA Welfare Locals Council..
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