AT&T SW BARGAINING REPORT #20

February 26, 2017

Your CWA Bargaining Committee negotiated throughout the weekend with the Company. Late Sunday afternoon the Company presented a “Last, Best and Final Offer” to the Union. The Company proposal is described as an integrated package and must be accepted by the Union Committee by midnight on Monday, February 27, 2017, or it shall be withdrawn. The CWA Committee is studying the proposal, but has already determined that it is lacking, and has a number of retrogressive components. It does not meet the criteria of why both sides agreed to enter into early bargaining. The Union Committee is determined to continue bargaining in these early negotiations and will not accept a sub-standard agreement.

Monday, Tell Your Supervisors That You Will Not Accept an Inferior Contract

AT&T SW BARGAINING REPORT #19

February 25, 2017

Your CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Friday, February 24, 2017. There was progress made at the negotiating table, but both sides are far apart on many issues. Some of the bargaining demands that were discussed are:

Employee Contributions for the Medical and Dental
Short Term Disability Plan – Company Proposal to migrate to a 26 week plan
A Wage Increase to Base Wages
Paid Illness Days
Paid Benefit Representative Position
The Benefit Committee
The Technology Change Committee
Article II – Classification of Employees – Temporary Employees
Article V – Cost of Living Allowance
Article IV – Basis of Compensation, Section 6 – Changes to the Night Differential language for Cable Splicing Technicians
Article VI – Hours of Work – Assigned Overtime
Appendix J Employees – The Home Dispatch Program
Protection for Core I/M Customer Services Technicians who are declared surplus, and who either accepts or displaces into a Premises Technician position
Leveraged Services Representatives – Service Levels
The ad hoc Committee on Two Hour Notification
Memorandum of Agreement – Employment Security Commitment (JOG)
The Service Representative Review Committee

Friday night, the Union Committee joined CWA Local 6132 on an informational picket line in front of the facility where negotiations are taking place. Local 6132 did a great job of getting their Members to this Mobilization event. Members from other Labor Unions, as well as the CWA Staff from the Austin office, joined us on the picket line. Great job Local 6132. Your CWA Committee wants to thank Local 6407 for the card signed by their Members, and the picture they sent of their Members engaged in a Mobilization event. The Union Committee and the Company will continue meeting throughout the weekend. We will update these reports as events necessitate.

Keep up the Great Work – Mobilizing

AT&T SW BARGAINING REPORT #18

February 24, 2017

The CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Thursday, February 23, 2017. The Company presented a complete package proposal to the Union. There was some movement on the Company’s part, but at this juncture in negotiations the proposal was severely deficient in many areas in meeting our Member’s proposals. The Company still has many proposals on the table that are retrogressive when compared to the current 2013 Labor Agreement. Listed below are proposals that were renewed by the Company on Thursday.

Renew the Incentive Plan Attachment in the Negotiating Report
Renew the Ad Hoc Committee on Two Hour Notification
To continue the forum between the Union and the Company for Premise Technicians
Renew the Memorandum of Agreement to Transition Newly-Represented DIRECTV LLC Employees, effective April 9, 2017 through April 10, 2021
Renew the Memorandum of Agreement – Modified Procedures for Expedited Arbitration
Renew the Recommendations of the Communications Consultant Joint Leadership Forum
Renew the Memorandum of Agreement – Recovery of Wage or Benefits Overpayment

The Union and the Company are still far apart on a number of items, including some of these listed below.

A significant wage increase for the years, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020
Article XI – Illness from Duty
The Disability Plan – The Company is proposing that employees transition to a 26 week plan from the current 52 week plan
Premise Technician – Work Rules
The Memorandum Of Agreement – Job Offer Guarantee
Joint Agreements of the Service Representative Review Committee
The prohibition against Decision Making Leaves (DMLs) and dismissals of Service Representatives solely for adherence performance
The Memorandum of Agreement – Regarding Neutrality And Card Check Recognition
The Memorandum of Agreement – Monitoring
The elimination of Article IV, Section 6, paragraph b. pay treatment for Cable Splicing Technicians

The above list of Company retrogressive proposals still on the negotiating table is provided to give a flavor of the present climate at the negotiating table. It is nowhere near inclusive of the Company’s proposed givebacks. Your CWA Committee put the Company Committee on notice today in the negotiating session. The Company Chair was told that Early Bargaining will come to a close at the end of February, and the Company’s proposals are inadequate to receive an agreement. The Union Committee told the Company to get serious, we are not going anywhere until we reach an agreement that is fair and just for our Members.

Thank you, CWA Local 6301. We appreciate the card and support of all your Members who signed it. Great Job!

*****Alert – Tell Your Managers That You Are Demanding a Fair Contract*****