Verizon Regional Bargaining Report # 39

The Regional Bargaining Committee met with the Company today. The Union provided responses to the Company’s proposals on Job Security, Forced Transfers Requiring a Home Relocation, Temporary Assignments in Another State and Permanent Transfers involving Home Relocations. These Company proposals were designed to provide more flexibility to the Company, including allowing it to reassign employees to work locations that would increase travel up to 60 miles further than they commute today.

The Union rejected these proposals pointing out that the Company has no justification to force an increase in travel, causing a home relocation or increased commutes. The average increase in daily commutes for most of the employees affected is over an additional hour each way. Members would have a diminished ability to utilize partial day vacations, they would be potentially subjected to an increase in lateness and absence, their safety could be jeopardized as a result of fatigue and inclement weather and working parents could face issues over child care and afterschool programs for their children.

Bargaining has recessed for the week and will reconvene on Monday, October 19th. District 2-13 will hold its Leadership Conference next week where Local Officers will meet and determine what action will be taken to move this Company towards negotiating a fair and equitable contract for our members.