AT&T Legacy T Bargaining Report #5

Today in Bargaining the Union rejected the Company’s proposal on Medical Benefits. We said, “The Company has single-mindedly focused on increasing employee cost share in the last three rounds of bargaining. This proposal is just more of the same.” Our CWA proposal focused on controlling the cost of health care with a comprehensive list that promotes wellness and other policies that encourage use of the most effective and efficient drugs and medical care.

We also presented a demand to include joint Union/Management oversight of the National Transfer Plan to address some of the problems that have arisen in the use of that plan.

From the Company side we received more attempts to weaken our Contract. The Company proposed eliminating the “Job Security” letter which provides for JOG (Job Offer Guarantee). Any attack on our job security language is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish at this table. They also proposed eliminating one of the forums that gives the Union access to top Management to discuss protecting our work.

We did reach a tentative agreement on one issue: strengthening Article 8, the Non-Discrimination Article.

Keep the pressure on.

Your bargaining team,

Bill Bates
Laura Unger
Lois Grimes-Patow
Isa Shabazz
Martha Flagge
Mary Ellen Mazzeo
LaNell Piercy
Roy Hegenbart
Cindy Neumeyer

Read more at: http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/att_legacy_t_bargaining_report_592