Atlantic Broadband Bargaining Update # 8

- October 18, 2010: The Company, Union and a Mediator met in Blairsville to continue bargaining and at the conclusion of this meeting a tentative agreement was reached with Atlantic Broadband.

- October 26, 2010: A meeting was held in Duncansville and the tentative agreement was explained. Questions were answered and individuals were given the opportunity to see how the wage proposal would impact them. The Union bargaining team recommended ratification of the tentative agreement. A ratification vote was held immediately following the explanation and the membership rejected the tentative agreement. Wages were cited as the main issue.

- November 2-3, 2010: Your bargaining team held a meeting with the membership to determine what needed to be changed in the tentative agreement. This information was used to develop the counterproposal submitted to the Company. The information which was used to develop the counterproposal was as follows:

 The wage increases needed to be uniformly administered.

 Wage increases for each job classification.

 Wage increases for each progression step.

 Incorporate the lump sums and bonuses into the hourly wages.

 Wage increases effective October 1, 2010.

 Shift differential effective October 1, 2010.

 All other tentative agreements remain in effect.

- November 8, 2010: The Union submitted to the Company the following counterproposal based on the input from the membership:

1. The contract will be for the term Oct 1, 2010 – Sept. 30, 2013.

2. Article 6- Adjustment of Grievances
    a. Changes in the grievance procedure time limits.

3. Article 9- Seniority
    a. Language to address force reductions allowing bumping.
    b. Also removing from the Job Posting pay ranges (no longer needed because of the wage scale)and date which the job will begin.
    c. Language to address when two people have the same hire date, the person with the earliest birth date will be most senior.

4. Article 13- Wages and Job Classifications
    a. Bilingual CCRs are in their own classification for all purposes including but not limited to overtime, layoff/recall, weekly, vacation and holiday scheduling.
    b. Work in a higher paid classification will be rounded to the next half-hour.

5. Article 15- Hours of Work and Overtime
    a. In the technical department, for the months of March through October the hours will be 7am-9pm and for November through February it will be 7am- 7:30pm.
    b. CCRs who are not normally scheduled to work on Sunday will be compensated at double time.

    c. CCRs that are normally scheduled to work on Sunday and are required to return back to work after they have completed their normally scheduled shift or asked to report in prior to their normally scheduled shift and it is not consecutive with their scheduled shift will becompensated at double time. Consecutive overtime will be paid at time and one-half provided the minimum 40 hours have been worked.
    d. Shift differential will increase to $1.40 effective 10/1/2010.
    e. Standby for weekdays increased from $17 to $20 per day.

6. Article 16- Holiday Pay
    a. Effective 1/1/11, all employees will receive four floating holidays each calendar year.
    b. Technical employees must give 1 week notice before taking the floating holiday. CCRs must give 24 hours notice before taking the floating holiday.
    c. Clarification on how holidays are handled depending on your regular schedule and if the holiday falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday.
    d. Clarification on CCR/Bilingual CCR scheduling on a holiday.

7. Article 17-Vacation
    a. Vacation scheduling for the Bilingual CCR
    b. Incorporate Reserve Vacation Time Agreement into the contract.

8. Article 22- Tools and Uniforms
    a. Language to allow for the reimbursement of boots and approved work related items needed by technician. The reimbursement will be a maximum of $175 per calendar year.

9. Article 25- Cable Service
    a. Language to include all services consistent with Company policy.

10. Article 38- Educational Reimbursement; Wage Increases
    a. Allows for the Company to create their own Company specific training and offer those as an alternative or in conjunction with NCTI courses. These courses will give at $.25 hourly increase upon successful completion.

11.
    a. Wage Scale

CWA Updated Proposal (November 9, 2010)

Installer

Contract Year   Current   10/1/10   10/1/11   10/1/12   Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months    $10.14   $10.55     $10.86    $11.19     4.0%                            3.0%                           3.0%

13-24 months   $10.31  $10.72     $11.04    $11.38      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

25-36 months   $10.49  $10.91     $11.24    $11.57      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

37-48 months   $11.29  $11.74     $12.09    $12.46      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

49-60 months  $12.12   $12.60     $12.98    $13.37      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

61-72 months  $13.11   $13.63     $14.04    $14.46      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

73-84 months  $14.02   $14.58     $15.02    $15.47      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

85+ months     $16.43  $17.09      $17.60    $18.13      4.0%                           3.0%                           3.0%

DM

Contract Year   Current   10/1/10   10/1/11   10/1/12    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $11.12 $11.59 $11.91 $12.27 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

13-24 months $12.48 $12.98 $13.37 $13.77 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

25-36 months $13.81 $14.36 $14.79 $15.24 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

37-48 months $15.14 $15.75 $16.22 $16.70 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

49-60 months $16.76 $17.43 $17.95 $18.49 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

61-72 months $18.66 $19.41 $19.99 $20.59 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

73+ months $21.46 $22.32 $22.99 $23.68 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

PM

Contract Year   Current   10/1/10   10/1/11   10/1/12     Increase over Current    Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $12.00 $12.48 $12.85 $13.24 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

13-24 months $13.56 $14.10 $14.53 $14.96 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

25-36 months $15.13 $15.74 $16.21 $16.69 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

37-48 months $16.70 $17.37 $17.89 $18.43 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

49-60 months $18.51 $19.25 $19.83 $20.42 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

61-72 months $20.70 $21.53 $22.17 $22.84 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

73+ months $24.00 $24.96 $25.71 $26.48 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

CCR

Contract Year   Current   10/1/10   10/1/11   10/1/12     Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $9.28 $9.65 $9.94 $10.24 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

13-24 months $9.91 $10.31 $10.62 $10.93 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

25-36 months $10.60 $11.02 $11.35 $11.70 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

37-48 months $11.47 $11.93 $12.29 $12.66 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

49-60 months $12.53 $13.03 $13.42 $13.82 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

61-72 months $13.57 $14.11 $14.54 $14.97 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

73-84 months $14.53 $15.11 $15.56 $16.03 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

85+ months $16.57 $17.23 $17.75 $18.28 4.0% 3.0% 3.0%

    b. Newly hired employees in the Installer Title and CCR Title will have a start rate of the 13-24 month rate.

- November 22, 2010: The Company responded the Union with the following proposal. As you can see it doesn’t address the many of the concerns which we outlined as our issues with 1st tentative agreement.

     a. Wage Scale

ABB Updated Proposal (November 22, 2010)

Installer

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13      Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $10.14 $10.31 $10.52 $10.73 1.7% 2.0% 2.0%

13-24 months $10.31 $10.75 $10.97 $11.18 4.3% 2.0% 2.0%

25-36 months $10.49 $11.29 $11.52 $11.75 7.6% 2.0% 2.0%

37-48 months $11.29 $11.90 $12.14 $12.38 5.4% 2.0% 2.0%

49-60 months $12.12 $12.60 $12.86 $13.11 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

61-72 months $13.11 $13.63 $13.91 $14.19 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

73-84 months $14.02 $14.58 $14.87 $15.17 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

85+ months $16.43 $16.84 $17.01 $17.35 2.5% 1.0% 2.0%

DM

Contract   Year Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $11.12 $11.12 $11.12 $11.12 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

13-24 months $12.48 $12.48 $12.48 $12.48 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

25-36 months $13.81 $13.81 $13.81 $13.81 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

37-48 months $15.14 $15.14 $15.14 $15.14 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

49-60 months $16.76 $16.76 $16.76 $16.76 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

61-72 months $18.66 $18.66 $18.66 $18.66 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

73+ months $21.46 $22.00 $22.44 $22.89 2.5% 2.0% 2.0%

PM

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $12.00 $12.00 $12.00 $12.00 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

13-24 months $13.56 $13.56 $13.56 $13.56 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

25-36 months $15.13 $15.13 $15.13 $15.13 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

37-48 months $16.70 $16.70 $16.70 $16.70 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

49-60 months $18.51 $18.51 $18.51 $18.51 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

61-72 months $20.70 $20.70 $20.70 $20.70 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

73+ months $24.00 $24.60 $25.09 $25.59 2.5% 2.0% 2.0%

CCR

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $9.28 $9.91 $10.11 $10.31 6.8% 2.0% 2.0%

13-24 months $9.91 $10.60 $10.81 $11.03 7.0% 2.0% 2.0%

25-36 months $10.60 $11.10 $11.32 $11.55 4.7% 2.0% 2.0%

37-48 months $11.47 $11.93 $12.17 $12.41 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

49-60 months $12.53 $13.03 $13.29 $13.56 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

61-72 months $13.57 $14.11 $14.40 14.68 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

73-84 months $14.53 $15.11 $15.41 $15.72 4.0% 2.0% 2.0%

85+ months $16.57 $16.98 $17.32 $17.67 2.5% 2.0% 2.0%

    b. In order to more closely equalize the cost, the company is withdrawing its willingness to increase shift differential.

- December 10, 2010: After reviewing the Company’s counter proposal, the Union requested to meet with Company and the mediator to discuss and review the proposal. The Union again reiterated that the membership just voted down a similar approach to the wages. The Union stated that the Company’s tentative agreement and November 22, 2010 proposal again focus a significant part of the wages in the Installer and CCR classification, while providing no increase to the DM and PM progression scales. Even the Installers at top rate are not getting the same percentage increase as the other classifications at top rate. We told the Company our goal was to reach an agreement that the membership would ratify.

The Company stated they wanted to concentrate on the start rate for the installer and CCR because they needed to be brought up. The Union reminded the Company that all throughout bargaining they were adamant that they didn’t need to increase the starting wages for these titles because they have not been having in trouble hiring and keeping them, so imagine our surprise when they decide at this session that this was something the Company had to have addressed.

The Union told the Company that we were not here to bargain over wages for employees who were not on the payroll but to negotiate a fair wage for existing employees. The Company had previously stated that they it didn’t matter to them how the wages were given out just that they weren’t going to add more money to the overall package. The Company said that they added and additional $20,000.00 to be able to provide the 2nd proposal of November 22, 2010.

During this bargaining session the Union also presented the following wage scale to bring the total cost of the wages with what we believe to be substantially equal to the cost of the Company wage scale proposal.

CWA Updated Proposal (December 10, 2010)

Installer

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $10.14 $10.44 $10.81 $11.19 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

13-24 months $10.31 $10.62 $10.99 $11.38 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

25-36 months $10.49 $10.80 $11.24 $11.57 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

37-48 months $11.29 $11.63 $12.09 $12.46 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

49-60 months $12.12 $12.48 $12.98 $13.37 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

61-72 months $13.11 $13.50 $13.98 $14.47 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

73-84 months $14.02 $14.44 $14.95 $15.47 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

85+ months $16.43 $16.92 $17.52 $18.13 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

DM

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $11.12 $11.45 $11.85 $12.27 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

13-24 months $12.48 $12.85 $13.30 $13.77 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

25-36 months $13.81 $14.22 $14.72 $15.24 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

37-48 months $15.14 $15.59 $16.14 $16.70 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

49-60 months $16.76 $17.26 $17.87 $18.49 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

61-72 months $18.66 $19.22 $19.89 $20.59 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

73+ months $21.46 $22.10 $22.88 $23.68 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

PM

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $12.00 $12.36 $12.79 $13.24 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

13-24 months $13.56 $13.97 $14.46 $14.96 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

25-36 months $15.13 $15.58 $16.13 $16.69 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

37-48 months $16.70 $17.20 $17.80 $18.43 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

49-60 months $18.51 $19.07 $19.73 $20.42 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

61-72 months $20.70 $21.32 $22.07 $22.84 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

73+ months $24.00 $24.72 $25.59 $26.48 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

CCR

Contract Year   Current   1/1/11   1/1/12   1/1/13    Increase over Current     Increase over year 1     Increase over year 2

0-12 months $9.28 $9.56 $9.89 $10.24 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

13-24 months $9.91 $10.21 $10.56 $10.93 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

25-36 months $10.60 $10.92 $11.30 $11.70 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

37-48 months $11.47 $11.81 $12.23 $12.66 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

49-60 months $12.53 $12.91 $13.36 $13.83 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

61-72 months $13.57 $13.98 $14.47 $14.97 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

73-84 months $14.53 $14.97 $15.49 $16.03 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

85+ months $16.57 $17.07 $17.66 $18.28 3.0% 3.5% 3.5%

    b. Newly hired employees in the Installer Title and CCR Title will have a start rate of the 13-24 month rate.

The Union’s proposal would deal with the Company’s issue of the start rates of the Installer and CCRs in addition to giving them some relief in the first year of the contract by putting the higher raises in the 2nd and 3rd years of the contract and changing the effective wage rate date to January 1. As you can see the Union was trying to look at every possible way to meet your needs and resolve the Company’s issue; however, at the conclusion of bargaining the Company said they were only offering the tentative agreement reached on October 18, 2010 or the counter proposal of November 22, 2010 for settlement of contract negotiations.

We advised the Company that we would give the membership the details of bargaining and ultimately our next steps would be determined by the members.

With this being our tenth bargaining session, it is clear that no amount of sitting and trying to reason with the Company over the bargaining table is going to resolve this issue. It is imperative that YOU let the management know that both proposals being offered by the Company are not responsive to your needs. Let them know that your bargaining team is speaking for you with the proposal submitted at bargaining table. If you have questions or concerns please contact your Union representative.

Submitted by:
Unit 31 Bargaining Committee