Verizon Regional Bargaining Report # 50

In our previous Mid-Atlantic bargaining report, we communicated that your CWA bargaining committee made a proposal which addressed the needs of both the Company and the Union. One of the critical issues for the Company is the cost of healthcare. The Union addressed this in our proposal which would save the Company millions during the term of the contract.

Two weeks ago the Company rejected the Union’s proposal and presented the Union with another proposal that fell short of addressing any of the Union’s critical needs.

Over the last week additional high level discussions took place. Our Union leadership told Verizon executives that since we addressed the Company’s needs, we expect the Company to address our needs.

We went back to the bargaining table yesterday to receive another proposal from Verizon. It too falls short. This newest Company proposal still contains many retrogressive demands and fails to meet many of the Union’s needs.

Earlier today Marc Reed put out another deceptive e mail about the status of bargaining. He stated that the Company has “presented proposals that would provide the Company greater flexibility in managing the work while recognizing current job security provisions”.

What the Company proposed was its willingness to withdraw its Job Security demand if the Union in turn would agree to:

• Forced Transfers: Consolidate centers throughout the footprint and transfer workers from one Mid-Atlantic state to a different Mid-Atlantic state. Other transfers would include an additional commute of up to 2- hours one way. A commute the Company calls “inconvenient” but not “unreasonable.”
• Temporary Assignments: Ability to transfer employees in one state to another state for up to 4 months.

The Company is willing to eliminate your quality of life by moving you wherever and whenever they decide. This is not how the Union defines Job Security.

These actions would not only have an economic impact but be a hardship for members and their families.

It is clear to your Bargaining Committee that this enormously profitable company- which made $18.3 billion in profits in 2015 and paid its top five executives $44.5 million in 2014, is determined to gut our contract and destroy the working conditions that CWA and IBEW have fought so hard to achieve over the last 50 years.

We need every member engaged in this fight. It is more important than ever that we take this fight to a new level.

Ready to STRIKE for a fair contract???

Mobilize! Mobilize! Mobilize!