August 2023 Bargaining Round Up

American Airlines – Passenger Service Agents

The CWA-IBT Bargaining Team met in August and reported:

Your CWA-IBT Association Bargaining Committee met with American Airlines management this week in our eleventh round of bargaining for a new contract.

The Union and the Company exchanged proposals on:

• Article 6 Overtime-Customer Service
• Article 9 Filling of Vacancies
• Article 15 Furlough Benefits
• Article 17 Leaves of Absence
• Article 18 Sick Leave
• Article 34 General Miscellaneous.

Research economists from CWA and IBT joined our Bargaining Team this session to help both sides understand the economic portion of the contract and to analyze the information used by American Airlines to determine the cost of some proposals. The discussion was intense, however we are making some progress. But not enough to reach an agreement on the articles. We informed the Company we need more bargaining sessions.

The Company still has not responded to the Union’s changes to Article 3, Recognition and Scope, which we made back in October. This crucial article provides job security. We must first reach an agreement on Scope in order to bargain the economic portion of the contract, which includes wages, insurance, overtime pay, holiday, among other benefits.”

Contact your local for more information.  

Our next bargaining session is scheduled for September 12-14.

Please send photos and videos of your participation on the 15th to info@american-agents.com. If you are unable to attend one of the actions, please send us a photo with your message to the company to share on social media.

AVAYA

In August, the AVAYA Bargaining Committee met with the company in person. The Committee reported:

The bargaining team wishes to thank those who were able to join us in Denver last week and support our in-person negotiations: We were glad to see the red shirts each day supporting our effort to obtain a fair and equitable contract. We believe this was also noticed by the Company.

Continued Virtual Negotiations: As we progress through negotiations, the Company’s primary focus continues to be streamlining the contract and cutting costs. They proposed multiple Union concessions on termination payments, medical benefits and bonus program cuts. As their proposals were adamantly rejected, we remain vigilant in securing improved economics, job security and retirement security for our members.

The next couple of weeks: We continue to research the present day's costs to members and draft proposals to secure a reasonable and fair balance of those costs to be presented at our next virtual meeting on September 5th and multiple virtual sessions scheduled throughout September.

Read the full report here.

Comcast Alle-Kiski

The CWA Local 13000 Bargaining Committee met with Comcast over the Alle-Kiske contract in early August and reported:

Your bargaining committee met with the Company the last two days, August 8 and 9, 2023 in Carnegie, PA. We passed several additional proposals based on overtime controls and pay increases for skill sets. We also continued to question the motivation behind the company’s proposals. 

Bargaining is scheduled to resume Monday, September 11, 2023. The committee will not stop until we have a fair agreement to present to you.We also want to thank you for your dedication to the cause, continue to stand united as we pursue a contract that respects and values the hard work and contributions of every member.

Consolidated Communications, Inc. (ILEC)

Negotiations with CCI opened during the week of August 21. The latest CWA Local 13000 Bargaining Committee update reported:

We met again with the Company today Thursday, August 24, 2023, on Zoom. We continued to push our agenda of improved home/work life balance and better working conditions. We also passed several economic proposals today. They covered things from differentials to wages to cost of living adjustment. The company is NOT interested in doing anything that will benefit YOU. 

Read the full report here.

Frontier West Virginia

On Saturday, August 26, the Frontier Bargaining Committee reached a tentative agreement! 

The final report outlines the new agreement’s achievements, including significant wage increases, preservation of job security language, and maintenance of quality health and welfare benefits.

Keep in touch with your Local to find out about contract read-outs and the ratification vote. 

The members’ mobilization made this agreement possible. Check out the support they gave to the Bargaining Team beginning in June:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In early August, CWA reported:

Pennsylvania State Representative and Chair of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation, Dan Miller, spoke out in strong support of striking NewsGuild-CWA journalists and other CWA members at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Referencing the fact that the Post-Gazette was covering the press conference, Miller said, “[T]his event is being covered by a scab newspaper. We see it, we know it, and so let me give you a quote. Treat your workers fairly, bargain fairly. Don’t come to us for quotes until you do.” In a Twitter post following the press conference, Miller conveyed the support of the whole delegation for the striking workers and vowed that they won’t cross the picket line. The workers, who are responsible for designing, printing, distributing, advertising sales, accounts receivable, and content creation for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, have been on strike since October of last year.

For more information on how to support the striking workers, visit cwa.org/ppg and subscribe to the strike paper at unionprogress.com.