News

Verizon Bargaining 2011: Report # 13

01 Aug, 2011

Talks at the bargaining table today centered on answers to the information request the Union made concerning Verizons Call Sharing proposal. In reviewing the information provided by the Company we asked several more questions and the company will have to get back to us with the answers. We also had many questions concerning the sales compensation plan proposed by the company, almost all of which they could not answer today. Talks have recessed for the evening and will continue again over the weekend.

We reported yesterday that CWA members across the region voted to authorize the CWA Executive Board to call a strike if necessary. The vote from the IBEW came in at Ninety-Seven (97) percent of those voting approved the strike authorization.

At this point in negotiations, the Company has not removed any of the ridiculous proposals they placed on the table from the very beginning. That list includes the following:

Wages:

The proposal tying your wage increases, both annual and progression, to your yearly evaluation.
Reduced night differential payments.
No more Sunday premium pay.
No more double time over 49 hours worked.
No more overtime caps.
Commission based sales compensation in the consumer and business call centers. This proposal would cut the pay rate by 30% and the rep would have to make up for those wages through commissions.

Pensions:

The pension plan would be frozen for anyone currently on the payroll and the pension plan eliminated.
Eliminate the Pension Cash-Out Option.
401(k) Plan – Move to a 100% match - begin charging administration fees.
No more Sickness Death Benefit.

Benefits:

Healthcare Benefits plan changes would cost our members and retirees up to $6,000 per year. The proposal includes a monthly premium for each employee. So even if you never went to the doctor, you’d still be paying.
No more accident disability benefits.
Sickness disability benefits cut in half.
Sick time pay virtually eliminated.
Paid Holidays reduced to seven.

Other Item:

Elimination of the Job Security Provisions
The cancellation of many of the programs and letters of understanding that benefit many of our members, eg., the ACFC, HCBC, TABEC, restrictions on Monitoring, etc.

This Company must believe that our members are willing to give up without a fight. They must believe we are ready to roll over and play dead for them. We have one week to go before contract expiration. One more week to send the message that this round of bargaining is about moving forward with good union jobs and not about going backwards.

The forecast for tomorrows rally at Verizon Headquarters in New York City is for sunny and in the 80’s. Absolute perfect weather for the thousands of our CWA Brothers and Sisters arriving from across the region to send our message to Lowell that WE WILL NOT GO BACK!