Update on One-Time Enhanced Incentive Offer in New York and New England

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:21:09 -0400

The volunteer period for New York and New England associates ended on June 1, 2010. Employees who volunteered for the Enhanced Offer have been notified of their status by their supervisors and will receive a letter in the mail at their homes confirming their status by the middle of this week. Employees who volunteered and who do not receive a letter by Thursday, June 17, should contact their supervisor immediately.

Employees who volunteered to accept the Offer fall into one of three categories – accepted, over-subscription or non-surplus:

o The off-payroll date for employees who were notified that their election was accepted will be this Sunday, June 20, 2010.
o Employees who volunteered but have not been notified of acceptance, either because of over subscription or because they are non-surplus, will remain on the payroll at this time.

Although non-surplus associates received an Incentive Offer, they are in locations or job titles that were not included in the surplus declaration. The Company and Unions are in discussions regarding the status of oversubscribed and non-surplus employees. Additional communications will be sent out when these discussions are completed.

Talks on Enhanced Offers to Relieve Surpluses

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:07:23 -0400

Representatives of CWA Districts 1, 2 and 13 as well as IBEW New Jersey and New England met again today with Verizon Labor Relations. The Union Committee presented ways that could relieve surpluses such as returning contracted work to the bargaining units offering any job openings that exist in all Verizon subsidiaries and increasing the IPP, ISP offers. Verizon refused to do any of the things that the Union suggested except for increasing the IPP, ISP slightly. The Union Committee’s efforts were aimed at saving jobs but the Company believes that they need to shed 12,000 employees without regard to our contract or common decency, or the state of the economy.

Safety Issue - Bucket Trucks

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:15:12 -0500

The Company notified the union that there was a potential Safety issue with certain Bucket Trucks made between 2007 thru 2009. The safety issue is with the Bucket and a defective weld. This safety issue involves 827 trucks in the United States and several hundred in New York.
The Company told us that the field and our technicians have been notified that bucket trucks made in 2007, 2008 and 2009 should only be used for transportation. The bucket should not be used for any reason. All these trucks will be inspected this weekend and if the trucks are unsafe, they will be taken out of service.
The Company will tag each truck after inspecting them, so that the driver of these trucks will know the status of the inspection.
A "Green" tag will indicate that the truck has been inspected and that the truck and the
bucket are safe to use.
A "Yellow" tag will indicate that the bucket should not be used but the truck can be used
for transportation.
A "Red" tag will indicate that the truck is not to be used and that the truck will be taken
out of service.

Verizon Declares Surplus Across NY

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:42:48 -0500

Verizon New York has notified CWA, it is declaring 3938 jobs surplus in 39 Titles within the New York FAA’s. This surplus condition has been determined to be a process change. At this point the EIPP offers, 15 day volunteer period and the off payroll date have not been determined. The Company has requested to meet with CWA, regarding discussions around the offer.

Surplus Condition

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:26:26 -0500

The company has notified the union that a surplus condition exists in twenty-nine (29) titles within the NYC FAA, twelve (12) titles within the Long Island FAA, and ten (10) titles within the Mid-State FAA of Verizon-New York. The surplus titles and FAAs together with the names, net credited service date, and work locations of all employees affected are provided as attachments to this letter. To alleviate the surplus condition the Company will invoke the Force Adjustment Plan (FAP), of the collective bargaining agreement. This surplus condition has been determined by the Company to be a process change. The provisions of the respective FAP Articles 8(b) and 10 will not apply in this case.
If the surplus condition requires the use of the Enhanced Income Protection Plan (EIPP) under step three (3) of the FAP Article, EIPP offers will be tendered to those employees in the surplus titles and FAAs involved by November 30, 2009. An employee's election to leave the service of the company and receive EIPP payments must be in writing and transmitted to the Company within 15 days of the offer, in this case December 14, 2009. The off-payroll date for employees who accept the offer will be December 20, 2009.
Should step three (3) of the FAP not alleviate the surplus conditions, the successive steps of FAP article will be invoked as required.

NY State FiOS and HSI Bundle Discounts

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:54:40 -0500

The Company notified the union that they were planning to offer discounts to active employees who live in NY State certain FiOS and HSI Bundle discounts.

We have attempted to bargain discounts for our members at different times and the company has told us they have no interest.

The union has notified the company about requesting bargaining over these discounts.

Contracting Issue Friday November 20, 2009

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:49:24 -0500

As you all may know, the Company originally
agreed to bring back certain work being done
by contractors. Specifically, the Company agreed
to bring back into the bargaining unit all buried
cable, buried service wire, and flagging work
being done by contractors.
Although the Company made this agreement, they
attempted to renege on the deal saying they needed
a few weeks and they didn’t have anyone else to
do the work.
We told the Company that we wanted the contractors
who were doing buried cable, buried service wire, or
flagging work gone by tomorrow and if they were still
on the job there was going to be a job action.
The Company has notified the Union that they will
not use contractors to do those job functions.
The job action planned for today has been averted
and we expect all of our members to be on the job
today.

Open Enrollment 2010

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:49:25 -0400

The union filed a Board Charge on the changes the Company made to the HMOs and the Company’s refusing to bargain the new plan (National EPO NYNE). We will continue to pursue these legal options. The company has decided to move forward and there will be many HMO plans that will be terminated. Those members must decide on a new plan during this enrollment period.
If you want to review their benefit information, such as the Health Plan Comparisons Charts, you can review them and print them at www.verizon.com/benefits or you can contact the Verizon Benefits Center at 1-877-4VzBens (1-877-489-2367). Representatives are available between 8 AM and 6 PM.
You can request a copy of your 2010 available options by calling the Verizon Benefits Center from October 19 - November 16th

You do not need to do anything unless you:

Want to make changes for 2010
Have a change to covered dependents
Need to certify who is a full time student
Want to enroll in a Health Care or Dependent Care Spending Account
Need to update their spousal surcharge eligibility

As described on page 7 of the enrollment brochure, members who have not made a benefits change within the last 12 months will be able to change benefit coverage between November 1st and December 1st for the new coverage to be effective January 1 2010.

Again, if your current plan is available in 2010 and you want to keep your current plan, you do not need to do anything. If your current plan has been terminated, you will be defaulted to the EPO unless you enroll in one of the other options available.

The following HMO options are being discontinued for 2010. If you participate in one of them, you will default to the EPO, unless you enroll in one of the other options available to you. We will send you a letter in October that will include a detailed description of the EPO.

807 Aetna Inc. Upstate NY
833 Anthem BCBS HMO Blue NE-NH/ME
812 CIGNA HealthCare (NH/ME)
816 Fallon Community Health (MA)
837 HealthNet NJ
823 HMO Blue (MA)
824 Horizon BCBS of New Jersey
834 MVP SelectCare (NY, VT)
841 Tufts Health Plan (MA)
842 UnitedHealthcare NE (MA/R/I)

Additionally, the following HMO options are being frozen for 2010. This means that these plans are only available in 2010 to current participants.

847 Aetna Inc. HMO
835 Geisinger Health Plan (PA)
838 HealthNet NY/CT
822 HIP Health Plan of NY
827 Independent Health of Buffalo
817 UHC Passport/Harvard Pilgrim

Regardless of the plan you are currently enrolled in, be sure to review your Health Plan Comparison Charts for your available plan options on Your Benefits Resources™. Select “Individualized Enrollment” from “What to Do When.”

CAEL, the vendor that Verizon uses to administer the tuition assistance program, is now EdLink

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:22:00 -0400

CAEL, the vendor that Verizon uses to administer the tuition assistance program, is now managing the program as EdLink. Employees will not experience any change to the Tuition Assistance TAMS website service nor to the tuition benefit. You will continue to access the Tuition Assistance TAMS website using the same website link, and you’ll use the same telephone number to make inquiries about your account.
EdLink will be making several updates to its system in the coming months to reflect its new name.
Starting the week of October 12, the CAEL logo on book reimbursement checks will be replaced with the EdLink logo. Depending on when the reimbursement check was processed, you may receive checks with the CAEL logo. Both checks will continue to be honored for payment. A letter will be included with your check explaining the change.
The week of October 26, the CAEL Logo on the Tuition Assistance TAMS website will be replaced with the EdLink’s logo.
During the week of October 26, letters of credit will be updated with the EdLink name and email address for education providers. Education providers will be notified by EdLink of the changes to minimize confusion.
The email address will change 10/26/09 to vztap@edlinktuition.com. Emails that are sent to vztap@cael.org will still be retrieved, but all replies and outbound emails will come from vztap@edlinktuition.com.
Website content will be updated to reflect EdLink’s name and new email address by the end of November.
The contact information for the VZ TAP program is:
Verizon Tuition Assistance Program-Customer Care
Phone: 866.994.3470
Fax: 866.548.2235
Email: vztap@edlinktuition.com
Website: http://tamsonline.org/vztap
Please contact EdLink if you have questions.

Verizon New England Layoffs

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:32:00 -0400

IBEW was advised last night that Verizon intends to layoff 196 Technicians in Verizon NEW ENGLAND tomorrow. IBEW was trying to work out plans with the Company to save these jobs and Verizon reneged on their word to give the IBEW at least one week notice before the effective date of any layoff.
As you know, in NEW YORK we have been trying to work out bringing back enough contracted work to stop the Company from implementing their plans to layoff Field Techs hired after 8/3/03. We have been told by Verizon management that the time frame for any layoffs in NEW YORK is in the future and if, in the event we are not successful in stopping any of the proposed layoffs, we will receive notice well before the layoff date. While we continue to try and stop the layoffs, if it comes down to actual layoffs, we intend to hold the Company to that commitment, but want you to know what has happened in NEW ENGLAND.
This situation is another example of why we should have STRONG picket lines out on Thursdays at every Verizon location!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Field Tech/TTA Field Tech Job Sharing Notice

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:15:00 -0400

The Company's plans to offer job sharing to Field Techs and TTA Field Techs. In the past in the few job titles that have had job sharing, those employees who have agreed to job share had a very, very, very difficult time returning to full time positions. In the case of Operators, it took many years and was finally accomplished at contract negotiations. We strongly encourage you not to volunteer. That in the current state of the Company with no Field Tech vacancies it will be impossible to undo.

Verizon's Work Attire Guidlines and Business Attire Policy

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:34:00 -0400

Long after close of business on Thursday the Company sent an email indicating that they were declaring impasse in the Business and Workplace Attire negotiations. Their plan is to impose the Workplace Attire policy immediately with communication with inside employees beginning Thursday and enforcement of the guidelines beginning Monday, August 24, 2009.
On the Business Attire Policy they will establish accounts with the Company's vendor for the affected employees, but have not yet stated a time line for ordering the Verizon branded shirts.
CWA legal will file a board charge today over this implementation. We do not believe that we are at impasse and Legal will make our position known in the board charge process.

Workers Compensation Forms

nospam@example.com (Edward Doyle) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:35:17 -0400

As of 1/1/09, Verizon New York no
longer is self insured with its compensation
claims. AIG is the new carrier and the claims
are processed by Sedgwick Claims Management.
Any claims before 1/1/09 is still being handled
by Verizon Compensation. We recommend calling
a compensation lawyer before filling out any
forms sent to you by Sedgwick Claims
Management.
You can call Fine, Olin, & Anderman at (888)909-4362

Verizon Bargaining Update, 4:30 pm Saturday, Aug. 9

nospam@example.com (John Maugeri) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:45:25 -0400

The unions and the company continue marathon bargaining in an attempt to bring the contract in before the bargaining deadline of 12:01 am, Monday, Aug. 11.

While there still are important issues on the table, setting the deadline has moved the pace into turbo drive. Verizon fully understands the power that our union members have poised to exercise if progress slows or stops.

We are very proud of the unity and commitment of our members' mobilization which has driven this round of bargaining. Our years of developing mobilization strategies have added a powerful tool to our arsenal, giving us effective alternatives to a strike.

With only hours until the deadline, we must continue this high level of mobilization. It will be a crowning achievement to bring in a good contract without a single member having lost one days' pay. Every member who participated in this effort will have a reason to be proud.

It remains critical that we are prepared to launch a strike on very short notice. It is still our ultimate weapon and the deadline is very real.

Stay informed...Be Prepared!

CWA/IBEW Bargaining Update for Tuesday, August 5, 2008

nospam@example.com (John Maugeri) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:12:16 -0400

Negotiations will continue today between CWA/IBEW 2213, IBEW New England and the Company in Rye, New York and Washington DC. The Bargaining Committee met all day yesterday and into the night and progress continues to be made but the pace is slow. The primary issue is jobs and making sure that we protect the jobs of today and the jobs of the future. The clock remains stopped at 11:59 pm August 2nd.

The bargaining committee will meet at 9 AM to review the company’s last proposal and is scheduled to meet the company later in the morning.

Stay in touch with your Local for the latest updated information.

The bargaining Committees thanks everyone for all their support and mobilization efforts.