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CWA LOCAL 2202 |
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September 19, 2008 CWA Members Ratify Verizon Contract Washington, D.C. -- Members of the Communications Workers of America at Verizon Communications overwhelmingly ratified a three-year agreement, approving the contract with a greater than 90 percent “yes” vote. The agreement achieves workers’ key goals, including the creation of more than 2,500 new union jobs through the elimination of subcontracting in many job areas, the conversion of temporary jobs to permanent ones, and new work on Verizon’s cutting edge FiOS technology, for example. It provides for a compounded wage increase of 10.87 percent over the contract term, maintains quality health care for active and retired workers and increases pension bands. The contract extends union recognition to several hundred former MCI technicians at Verizon Business who have been seeking union representation for nearly two years, and includes new opportunities for union workers to provide customer support and service at Verizon Business. CWA President Larry Cohen called the agreement “a breakthrough in many ways” and commended Verizon management for its commitment to work with CWA and others for real health care reform. The agreement covers more than 50,000 CWA-represented workers at Verizon; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers represents another 15,000 in the Northeast.
Following is a summary of the Verizon tentative agreement: 1. Wages a. Effective 8/3/2008 3.25% b. Effective 8/2/2009 3.5% c. Effective 8/1/2010 3.75 % 2. COLA a. Effective 8/1/2010 b. One half of the increase in the CPI-W in excess of 3.75% between May ‘09 and May ‘10 3. Corporate Profit Sharing a. $700 minimum distribution b. Paid in March of each year 4. Pension Band Increases a. Effective 10/1/2008 3.25% b. Effective 10/1/2009 3.5 % c. Effective 10/1/2010 3.75% 5. Pension Lump Sum Cash-Out a. Pension Distribution Options remains in contract with no change in the language by which the amount is calculated b. Available at any time, for the length of the contract 6. VZ-B a. 445 Field Techs in plant contract with carveouts b. 145 Inside Techs in plant contract with carve outs c. Guarantee small and medium business exclusively for represented commercial d. Bring new VZ-B work to CWA represented locations 100 at end of 2009 and 100 at end of 2010 7. Video Head End – Video Work. Approx. 75 in plant contracts with carve outs 8. Temps and terms to Perms (Approx 1,200) 9. Three times a year discussion on union jobs and efficiency/growth 10. Active Health Care: Maintained full employer paid coverage with limited plan design changes 11. Retiree Health Benefits a. Fully paid, no retiree pays during life of agreement b. Any changes in future health benefit plans for retirees will be negotiated with the Union in the same manner as that for actives and for future retirees. c. No current retiree will pay for health coverage through the end of 2011. d. No active employee who retires during the term of this agreement will pay for health coverage through the end of 2011. e. Caps on the Company’s contribution to the cost of retiree health coverage in 2012 and after have been raised as follows: i. Prior to Age 65 and Medicare Eligibility 1. Retiree Only: $12,580 2. Retiree + 1 25,160 3. Retiree + Family 31,450 ii. Age 65 and after and Medicate Eligible 1. Retiree Only: $ 6,330 2. Retiree + 1 12,660 3. Retiree + Family 18,990 f. Employees hired after August 2, 2008 will be covered under a new retiree health program. i. Once they retire (under the same eligibility requirements as currently required), they will receive an annual payment equal to $430 times years of service (to a maximum of 30 years). ii. The parties will negotiate this amount in future years to reflect changes in the cost of health coverage. 12. Agreement to work for National Health Care Reform and provide $2mn a year during term of contract. 13. New Dispute Resolution for Faster resolution of grievances 14. Savings and Security Plan a. Add a Roth option to the 401(k) plan b. Allows investment of post tax dollars with no taxes applied to investment returns when assets are later distributed. 15. Retiree Life Insurance a. Company-paid retiree life insurance benefits will be frozen at one-times the wage level attained on 8/2/2008. b. The minimum amount to be paid to beneficiaries of retirees who retiree after 8/2/2008 will be $20,000, even after age 65. 16. Retirees who were hired after 8/2/2008 will be eligible for the minimum $20,000 17. Commercial Issues a. Collection b. Jt Marketing Letter c. Local Presence Centers d. NJ collection office issues 18. Extend all existing District and Local Agreements and adjust all dates. 19. CWA-NETT will discuss how to publicize 20. Unique Regional Items a. Scope agreement CWA D2 b. Contract Initiative Letter fixed c. Job Share Language (North) d. ACFC will outstanding pay current bills $486K e. Increase ACFC wage rate top wage rate in contract f. Supplemental Retiree Life Insurance: five times implemented as soon as possible
CWA/IBEW/Verizon Bargaining Report for
08-10-2008,4:45 p.m.
We have an agreement in principle with
Verizon; the committees are continuing
the document review of all contract
language now.
Thanks to all of our Members for all mobilization efforts.
As the
Union and Company continue negotiations the Statement of Unified Bargaining Committees
The unified CWA-IBEW bargaining committees continue to negotiate economic, employment security and retirement security issues. Progress continues but issues remain, particularly concerning employment security and union jobs and recognition. We must remain unified and disciplined, working on the job and working for a just contract.
The Unions
and the
Company did
not meet
face to face
today. The
CWA and IBEW
Unions met
in caucus
and each
bargaining
unit spent
the day
reviewing
their
respective
proposed
contract
language
changes.
The parties are scheduled to reconvene tomorrow.
CWA/IBEW/Vz
Bargaining Report
for 07-01-2008
The Unions and the
Company met today
and the session
began with
CWA/IBEW/Vz Bargaining
Report for 06-30-2008
The Unions and the Company
met this morning and the
Company presented a set of
proposals in response to the
Unions demands placed on the
table on 6-16-08.
CWA/IBEW Verizon Early Bargaining
Report June 16th, 2008
The Unions and the Company met today
and the Unions presented a
comprehensive package of demands
which includes substantial wage
increases and improvements in
benefits and working conditions.
Bargaining has been recessed until
June 30th so that CWA
Representatives can attend the CWA
Annual Convention.
At this point our members’ agenda is
now fully on the table, but simply
putting forth demands will not
achieve a successful contract.Our
power at the bargaining table is the
unity and commitment of our members.
The next bargaining update will be
on June 30th, 2008.
CWA/IBEW/VERIZON Bargaining Report for
06-13-2008
The Unions worked throughout the day on a
comprehensive package of proposals to be
given to the Company on Monday June 16th.
The Unions demands provide for substantial
wage increases, pension improvements,
healthcare, job security and other
improvements.
With the support of a united and committed
membership we fully expect to achieve a
contract we can be proud of.
Mobilize!!!
CWA/IBEW/VCSI BARGAINING REPORT FOR 6/12/08
The unions met with the Company today and the
Company responded to several demands submitted by
the
Based on our discussions to this point it has become clear that our members will need to turn up the heat through a strong mobilization effort before the Company will get serious. Each round of negotiations our members have answered the bell and this time will be no different. Turn up the heat!
CWA/IBEW Verizon Early Bargaining Report June 12, 2008
The Unions and the Company met today. The Company gave
details of their prescription drug plan which would impose
increases in the cost of medications for active and retired
members. In some examples, the increases would cost
some retirees most of their income. The Company’s
medical and prescription demand would shift tens of millions
of dollars of cost to our members. The meeting
adjourned and the Unions will spend the remainder of today
working on bargaining demands. While the company has only brought the Medical and Drug plans to the table it is their intent to take back years of hard fought for progress. Our medical and Drug plans are the result of many contracts and even strikes. We to must be willing to do the same things we did to get them in order to keep them.
Verizon/IBEW Early Bargaining Report for June 6, 2008 The Unions and
the Company met today and the Company provided data
Verizon/IBEW Early Bargaining Report for June 4, 2008 The Unions and the Company met today and the Company presented additional data on their healthcare plan modifications. Many questions were asked by the committee and additional data requests were made. The parties will meet tomorrow to continue negotiations onthe
Bargaining
Update
5-29-08
The
Unions
did not
meet
with the
company
today as
scheduled
because
the
Company
is still
working
on its
proposal.
The
Company
expects
to
present
their
proposal
tomorrow.
The
Unions
are
using
the
delay to
work on
our
members’
agenda.
The
parties
are
scheduled
to meet tomorrow morning.
CWA/IBEW
BARGAINING
MESSAGE
CWA District 1,
2, and 13 as
well as the IBEW
have agreed to
once again
The meeting scheduled
for today was postponed.
The company has not yet
responded to a large
number of data requests.
The Union bargaining
committee has therefore
decided to suspend
face-to-face meetings
until the necessary
information has been
provided.
Once the information has
been received and
analyzed, the Union will
provide a response to
the Company demands.
We will provide you with updates as events unfold.
CWA/IBEW Verizon Bargaining Report for November 29, 2007 Bargaining resumed today. The Unions restated that their demands are still on the table. There was discussion regarding outstanding data requests. The meeting adjourned and the parties are scheduled to meet again on Monday, December 3rd. The Unions will continue to review and evaluate the data it has received so far.
CWA/IBEW Verizon Bargaining Report #6
for November 28, 2007
The Unions and the Company met today.
The Union submitted data requests for
information regarding the company's
proposed medical plan changes.
CWA/IBEW Verizon Early Bargaining Report
for November 27, 2007
The CWA/IBEW and the Company Bargaining
Committees reconvened bargaining today.
There was no progress on the Unions'
demands. The rest of today’s session was
spent reviewing and discussing data that
had been requested in earlier sessions.
No agreement has been reached on any
issue. The parties are scheduled to meet
tomorrow.
The Unions and the
Company met today in Washington D.C. The company
responded to some of
the Unions' proposals. There was no agreement by
the company to any of the Unions' proposals.
The company had no responses at this time to the data requests made by the Union last week. The parties will continue to meet tomorrow.
CWA/IBEW Verizon Bargaining Report#3 11-20-07
CWA Districts 1, 2, and
13, along with IBEW Representatives met on
Nov.7 with Verizon
Representatives to review data regarding Verizon’s
Health Care Plans. CWA
bargaining teams met throughout the day on
Nov. 8th to develop the
Union’s bargaining agenda. The first day of
formal bargaining will be
November 19, 2007 in Philadelphia.
Bargaining updates will be provided as events unfold.
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