CWA Local 1180 began its existence as the Municipal Management Society (MMS) in 1954, and was the first “union” of New York City supervisory and administrative employees. In the early 1960s, when public sector organizing exploded and other City workers were making significant gains through collective bargaining, MMS members decided that they too needed to be able to negotiate collectively in order to advance their interests. They signed up the necessary majority of workers, and in 1965 they voted to join the Communications Workers of America. Just two years later, in 1967, with CWA's assistance in overcoming a few obstacles, Local 1180 became CWA’s first public sector local.
Today, Local 1180 remains one of the largest public sector locals of CWA, representing more than 9,000 active members and 6,200 retirees. Union membership is overwhelmingly comprised of women, women of color, and other minorities. Most work in one of the dozens of New York City Mayoral agencies, while others work at H+H, Board of Education, Housing Authority, Transit Authority, School Construction Authority, and the state's Unified Court System. As administrative and supervisory workers, our members process payrolls, manage computer systems, monitor contracts, pay vendors, supervise front line staff, and in general, coordinate a whole host of other City functions that go unnoticed. We are the hidden human infrastructure that makes the New York City work.