Verizon Potomac Local Bargaining Report # 7

The Potomac Local Bargaining committee has met with the company multiple times since our last Local report. Today, we again reminded the Company we have outstanding requests for information since early July. We also passed proposals on the Business Services Agreement, changes to Article 41, contracting out and promoting those employees in jobs where other higher-paid titles are doing similar tasks.

Like a broken record, the company repeated again they were not interested in dealing with additional administrative burdens or adding more costs to the business while rejecting our proposals on Vacations, Promotional Wage Adjustments, Transfer and Reassignment Protections, Mediation and equal treatment for all employees on Christmas Eve.

In these meetings we have asked a series of questions in an attempt to determine the company’s justifications to try and move these negotiations forward. Unfortunately, after much back and forth at the table, it‘s clear that the company is not willing to negotiate. Bargaining is about listening, communicating and working together and this company has not demonstrated any willingness to do that.

Today is Thursday, July 30th and by now we felt we should be much further in negotiations. We’re two days out and the Company’s bargaining team has only been given permission to say one word, “reject”. The fact is none of us can live with what the company has put on the table. They are trying to show that they are stronger, that they think they can intimidate and scare us, but they are sadly mistaken. They forget that we are the ones that work in the extreme cold and heat, work insane amounts of overtime to meet customer needs due to constant mismanagement and endure endless amounts of job related stress due to the continuous monitoring. Your bargaining committee knows what is at stake and is determined to stay at the table as long as it takes to get a fair contract. What we ask of all of you is to keep the pressure up. Stay strong and make this company understand that none of us will accept the retrogressive demands they have put on the table. Keep mobilizing Brothers and Sisters!