WFWU Weekly Newsletter: February 23, 2024

Apopka, FL branch delivers letter to management, submits petition for union election and gets election date of March 19!

The Apopka branch located at 2222 E. Semoran Boulevard near Orlando, Florida has become the latest Wells Fargo worksite to join the wave of recent union organizing. Workers there announced their intention to organize by signing a letter and delivering it to management on February 21, 2024. The National Labor Relations Board quickly scheduled their election date. Workers there will get to vote to form a union on Tuesday, March 19!

"We continually face inadequate staffing that not only strains our ability to perform our duties effectively but undermines the quality of service we can offer to our customers,” said Noell Calas , an Associate personal banker at the branch. “Many of us have been serving Wells Fargo and its customers for over a decade with little to show for it. We are certain that through a union, we can establish a dialogue that is both respected and acted upon, ensuring that our voices are not just heard, but part of the decision-making process that affects our day-to-day life."

Other important upcoming dates: Don’t forget that workers at the branch located at 66 Waterbury Road in Prospect, Connecticut  vote to form a union with Wells Fargo Workers United-CWA at their branch on Thursday, March 7. Please continue to show your support for your coworkers by posting this support message on social media.

Our next WFWU General Membership Meeting is on Sunday, March 3rd

Please join us for our second National General Membership Meeting on Sunday, March 3rd at 3:00 PM Eastern.

In addition to organizing updates, we’ll discuss the recent announcement from Wells Fargo on their intent to force remote workers to return to office locations and future plans to consolidate non-customer facing workers into fewer CSBB locations. This announcement has left many of us anxious and uncertain about the future of our employment. During the meeting, we will have a breakout session so non-branch workers can strategize on how we can fight back against this needless forced relocation and threat of job loss hanging over our heads, otherwise we will be letting Wells Fargo executives make decisions that affect our livelihood without any meaningful say or input. 

Let’s keep our momentum growing. Please register below to get the zoom link and join our important meeting. This is a safe space, so only WFWU supporters and non-managers will gain access to this important meeting.

VIDEO: How do bank workers’ rights in the US stack up to other countries? 

Our next organizing training will be February 27th

Want to join our union but you haven’t connected with an organizer yet and you’re not sure what the next steps are to make it a reality? You’re in luck, we are hosting union organizing meetings open to all Wells Fargo workers to walk through step by step how to get started, what your labor rights are, and how to stand up for your rights by identifying when the boss is crossing the line and violating your rights. These meetings are open to everyone who wants to learn how to organize a union in your workplace, whether it’s a branch, call center, office or you work remotely!

Sign up here for our next WFWU Union Organizing Meeting on February 27 at 8:30PM Eastern.

The federal National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) gives workers the right to form a union, collectively bargain, and to take collective action with their coworkers to advance our interests. It is a violation of the NLRA for an employer to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of our rights. These violations of the NLRA are referred to as “unfair labor practices'' (ULPs) and are investigated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The law prohibits employers from discriminating or retaliating against pro-union workers and from surveilling, threatening, or interrogating them. Your boss is not allowed to interfere with your right to form a union, nor are they allowed to discriminate against you for supporting your union. It is unlawful for them to prohibit you from wearing union shirts, buttons, wristbands or lanyards. And they certainly cannot prohibit you from talking about forming a union during work time if you are allowed to discuss other non-work topics. Finally, bosses are not allowed to promise benefits to employees if they vote against or withdraw support for a union. 

If you witness a Wells Fargo manager committing a ULP, write it down and contact an organizer immediately at [email protected] so we can investigate and determine whether we can file a ULP to hold Wells Fargo accountable.

Download this factsheet and keep it handy: “How to Spot When the Boss is Breaking the Law”

Wells Fargo Workers United-CWA members have been raising the alarm by filing Unfair Labor Practice charges (ULPs) with the National Labor Relations Board to hold Wells Fargo executives accountable when they cross the line and violate workers’ rights. Our movement is about hope and making the bank better for everyone, and we will not give into executives’ efforts of promoting fear and despair. 

Our latest victory was in November when workers at the call center in Hillsboro, Oregon reached a settlement with Wells Fargo that required the bank to inform workers of their right to organize via facility-wide emails and in-person posted notices. (See, “Wells Fargo Settles Second Complaint Over Union Intimidation” in Bloomberg Law) The ULP charges were brought by Cole Weber, a disputes escalations team lead at the Hillsboro call center, after he was prohibited from wearing and giving out union-related shirts. Later on, Weber said management told him that he could not post pro-union flyers outside his cubicle.

“The settlement is a huge step because one of the biggest factors that has limited our ability to form a union is people are scared,” Weber said. “It helps people understand that their rights are protected — that they are safe to organize and engage without fearing for their jobs.”