CWA Local 1102 Blog

The Unions and the Company met today and the session began with discussions about the demands the Company presented yesterday.

The Unions expressed their anger over the Company changing their commitment to limit their agenda to “modest changes designed to change behavior in the medical plan.” The Company is demanding cost shifting in healthcare for actives and retirees, elimination of the cash out option, elimination of the COLA, elimination of the Corporate Profit Sharing and other reductions in wages and benefits.

The meeting turned to the Unions’ demands and the Company rejected the Comprehensive Proposal submitted by the Union. They rejected employment security for all employees, protecting workers in the event the Company is sold, job posting and bidding, elimination of subcontracting, FIOS work performed by core employees and other proposals. To date there is no agreement on any issue.

It is now very clear that the Company has a wide agenda of take backs and concessions and at this time we are even further apart than when we first started. This is the first time ever that the Company has bargained in this way and their lack of credibility at the table is making the task even harder.

We must strongly urge our members to support their bargaining agenda by providing the Bargaining Committee with a large strike authorization vote. While a vote to authorize a strike does not automatically mean there will be a strike, it sends a most important message to Verizon. They need to understand that our members who make this Company a success will not give back or give up.

We know there are rumors about bargaining. Some are planted by the Company and some are just from the rumor mill. This happens in every round of bargaining – the only reliable source of information about bargaining will come from your bargaining team reports. We will make every effort to get these reports to locals as soon as a session ends.

Fair Increa$e Or Strike!

The CWA/IBEW 2213 and the IBEW New England negotiating committees met with the Company this afternoon in Rye, New York. The Unions questioned the Company on their counterproposal they presented yesterday. Issues raised included health care and prescription drug benefits. No progress was made. The parties are scheduled to resume talks tomorrow morning.

Fair Increase Or Strike!

The CWA/IBEW 2213 and the IBEW New England negotiating committees met with the Company this afternoon in Rye, New York. The Company presented their response to the Unions June 16th comprehensive proposal. The Company proposal was completely unacceptable to the Unions. The Committees recessed and are scheduled to meet again tomorrow morning.

Recently, Verizon decided to mail all CWA members the benefits plan summary’s booklets we requested during open enrollment back in October of 2007 but they failed to mention on the front of the booklets that these are union bargained benefits. Verizon seems to take all the credit, none of which they deserve. These benefits were not free. Months were spent on picket lines, salaries were lost, and in 1989 Gerry Horgan died for our benefits after being run over by a SCAB. We remember Gerry every Thursday by wearing red.

Fair Increase Or Strike!

The CWA/IBEW 2213 Regional Bargaining Committee and the New England IBEW team resumed negotiations with Verizon today in Rye, New York. The two Unions presented the Company with a comprehensive proposal.
• Increase in wages, pensions and the Cost of Living formula
• Job Security to strengthen the bargaining unit
• Increase funding for the Dependent Care Reimbursement Fund
• Expanded Safety and Health programs and funding
• Insure that the same Health Benefits will apply to both active and retirees
• Eliminate sub-contracting
The Unions stressed the need for improvements in wages and job security. The Unions demanded that Verizon live up to their previous commitment that as the Company grows so does the Union. This ensures that the work of the future is performed by bargaining unit members.
Bargaining has recessed until June 30, 2008.

Fair Increase Or Strike!

EVERY THURSDAY, LOOK AT YOURSELF. DO YOU HAVE RED ON? DID YOU SHOW UP FOR INFORMATIONAL PICKETING? IF NOT, WHY NOT? MAYBE 1% OF YOU FAIL TO WEAR RED OR PICKET. TO THAT 1% WE WON’T EVEN ASK YOUR EXCUSE, WE HAVE HEARD ALL THE LAME EXCUSES BEFORE.

YOUR ONLY LOGICAL EXCUSE COULD BE THAT YOU DON’T USE UNION BENEFITS, YOU DON’T ACCEPT UNION PAY SCALE, WHICH RUNS ABOUT 10 TO 20% HIGHER THAN NON-UNION, YOU WOULD ALLOW THE COMPANY TO LAY YOU OFF WITHOUT ANY REGARD TO YOUR SENORITY RIGHTS, YOU DO NOT ACCEPT PAID SICK TIME, YOU TURN DOWN DOUBLE TIME AFTER 49 HOURS AND ON SUNDAY, YOU DO NOT TAKE YOUR VACATION TIME OR YOUR EWD’S, OR YOUR 11 PAID HOLIDAYS. YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THE UNION FOUGHT FOR 81% MATCH TO YOUR 401K PLAN, YOU TURN DOWN THE STOCK OPTIONS AND YEARLY BONUSES, YOU WON’T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RETIREMENT PLAN NOR WILL YOU ACCEPT THE $78,000 EIPP MONEY. NOW WE COME TO THE BIG ONE. YOU DON’T WEAR RED BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL NOT USE DENTAL AND MEDICAL COVERAGE, THE VERY SAME COVERAGE CHIEF STEWARD GERRY HORGAN GAVE HIS LIFE FOR IN 1989.

TAKE ANY OTHER EXCUSE AND STICK IT. TO THE OTHER 99%, WE THANK YOU BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TOGETHER WE WILL PREVAIL. AS FAR AS THE OTHERS GO WE WOULD NOT TRUST THEM AS FAR AS WE COULD THROW THEM.

UNITED WE BARGAIN DIVIDED WE BEG.

The CWA/IBEW 2213 and the IBEW New England negotiating committees met today in Rye, New York. The Unions reviewed information and continued to prepare a comprehensive counter proposal to Verizon’s proposal on Medical and Prescription Drug Benefits. Talks have recessed for the weekend and will resume on Monday morning, June 19. 2008.

Fair Increase Or Strike!

The CWA/IBEW 2213 Regional Bargaining Committees met with the IBEW New England bargaining committee. The two negotiating teams used most of the day reviewing information on Medical and Prescription Drug benefits provided by Verizon. The Union negotiators than began the process of crafting a comprehensive response for the Company. Bargaining is scheduled to resume tomorrow.

Fair Increase Or Strike!