Posted: April 30, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Bargaining, News |
CWA’s National Health Care Agreement negotiated with AT&T Mobility will expire on June 30, 2008. This expiration does not change the Health Care Plan benefits during 2008, but it does mean that we must bargain the plan beyond 2008.
What will happen in this process is that our bargaining committee will meet with AT&T’s in an effort to reach a new tentative agreement by June 30. If an agreement is not reached, a Federal Mediator will come in and try to facilitate one. If the Mediator is unsuccessful, the final step in this process will be for the Union and the Company to present their respective proposals before an Arbitrator. The Arbitrator’s decision will be binding on both parties.
Action Item ….. Please go to the web address shown below and complete the online Health Care Survey by May 9, 2008 (not from a Company computer please!) Your participation will help guide our bargaining committee in the development of proposals and counter proposals that may be necessary during negotiations. Your answers to the survey questions will also help us to identify any problems with the current plan and what is most important to you.
http://www.cwa-union.org/survey/att-healthcare.html
Don’t miss your opportunity
Posted: April 21, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Bargaining |
Today the local received the following letter from Richard Kneupper, who headed the Union Bargaining Committee in the recent contract negotiations with AT&T Mobility. The letter reads as follows:
Subject: Mobility Agreement – Dispute over Upgrades at the Top
This is to advise that the CWA Bargaining Committee and the Mobility Bargaining Committee have had a discussion about a dispute over what was negotiated for upgraded Call Center employees at the top of the wage schedule. The dispute centers around those employees at the top of the schedule who would receive a $38.50 upgrade plus receive the negotiatied wage increase. This was based on a document that was presented to the Union by the Company just prior to an agreement being reached. The document stated the following:
Upgrades: (Effective 2/24/2008, depending on ratification)
- Overall, 54% of employees covered by the contract are upgraded
- 92% of Customer Representatives, more than 5,000 employees are upgraded.
- Upgrade Customer Service Representative 1 – All Other by $38.50 per week at top pay
- Upgrade Business Customer Service Spet by $38.50 per week at top pay
The CWA Bargaining committee understood this to mean that people at the top of the wage schedule would receive the $38.50 treatment. Howerver, the Mobility Committee says their intent was that the wage schedule itself was being upgraded by $38.50 as that was the difference between the Dallas wage schedules and the All Other wage schedule. A specific example of how people would be treated at the top was not presented by the Company. The Company refuses to make this adjustment and the parties have agreed to submit the dispute to a neutral, third party and arbitrate the issue.
Currently, what this will mean is that employees at the top of the wage schedule will be slotted into the new wage schedule just as other upgraded employees who were in progression, but at a higher step. They will receive the same incremental wage increase based on where they fall on the wage schedule.
The CWA Bargaining Committee certainly understands the disruption this will create for our members and agonizes over the issue. However, after considering all of our options, we believe arbitrating the issue is our best course of action.
Richard Kneupper
Posted: April 15, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Bargaining |
Most of you are aware that we are in a dispute with the company on pay for the top people on the new wage progression scale in the 2008 Labor Agreement.
CWA’s position is that the agreement provided an immediate upgrade of $38.50 a week for those employees at the top of the wage scale. The $38.50 combined with the raise should have placed the top employees at $594.
The company’s position is that the upgrade was built into the wage scale and was not immediate.
In our explanation meeting we gave you the wages that were given by the District. We were as upfront and truthful as we could be. There was certainly no intent to mislead or deceive anyone.
District Six and our attorneys are looking at our options. when a decision is made we will pass that information on to the members.
We ask you to be patient as we work to resolve the issue.
Sincerely,
Jack Maxey
President
CWA6203
Posted: April 7, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Bargaining, News |
The local received the following letter from Richard Kneupper, Assistant to the District Vice President and head of the recent Bargaining Committee.
This is to advise we are aware there are some issues developing with new wage calculations due to the new agreement. We are looking into it and will advise as soon as we have all the details sorted out.
Posted: April 7, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Bargaining, News |
Bargaining for AT&T Mobility benefits will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from June 3 through June 13. Current benefits are in effect through December 31, 2008.
The Union’s bargaining representative will be Jim Murray. If there is no agreement by June 13, negotiations will go through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for up to ten days. If the benefits are voted down after mediation, arbitration will proceed through the American Abitration Association and they will have the final say.
It is illegal to strike over benefits.
Posted: April 3, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: News |
District Six has provided the local with the following schedule for the implementation of the pay schedule for the new contract:
April 11, 2008: First paycheck on the new wage scale
April 22, 2008: Signing bonus payment
April 25, 2008: Retroactive pay increase paid from 2/24/08
Posted: April 2, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: News |
Local President Jack Maxey swore in Deby Armando as the newest Chief Steward at the wireless call center at Tuesday night’s monthly meeting. Here for the photo.
Posted: March 31, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Events |
Posted: March 31, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Events |
Posted: March 30, 2008 | Author: macmanus | Filed under: Uncategorized |
Union members gathered at J&B Coffee to celebrate victory in its arbitration for one of its members. Photos are available here.
