To: CWA President Christopher Shelton

From: CFI Local 39000 members and allies

We object vigorously to CWA’s suspension of President-Elect Mary Lou Aranguren. The membership’s vote must be respected and honored. Aranguren won the vote for president of our local by a sizable margin in a very high turnout election, yet she was not allowed to serve as president for a single day.

This move once again puts important work on hold and prevents us from pursuing the best interests of California court interpreters and the immigrant communities that rely on our services. It has further damaged our faith in CWA’s practices and representation.

We demand that CWA (1) reverse the suspension immediately, (2) drop the politically motivated charge against Aranguren that provided the pretext for her suspension, and (3) end its trusteeship over our local and hand power over to our full elected Executive Board without delay.

We expect TNG-CWA to honor our right to self-determination, work in good faith with our elected leadership, and provide the concrete support we need to succeed in pursuit of our collective best interests.